Pittsburgh ? This may slow the Chicago Cubs’ chase of the NL wild card: Carlos Zambrano won’t start against Pittsburgh again this season.

Zambrano pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings to outduel Oliver Perez and beat Pittsburgh for the fifth straight time this season, carrying the Cubs to a tense, 1-0 victory over the Pirates on Wednesday night.

Sammy Sosa preserved the Cubs’ sixth shutout with a sprawling, belly-flop catch of Ty Wigginton’s bases-loaded, two-out line drive to right field in the eighth.

“I saw him closing and closing, then I saw it hit his glove, and I just hoped it stayed in his glove when he hit the ground,” manager Dusty Baker said. “The guys (in the dugout) jumped for joy, including myself, just as if we won the World Series. That was a big play, that was a huge play.”

Zambrano is the first pitcher to beat the Pirates five times in a season since the Mets’ Tom Seaver went 5-1 in 1973. That surprised Zambrano, who was only 5 when the Hall of Fame right-hander pitched his final game in 1986 and doesn’t remember him.

“I have nothing against the Pirates,” Zambrano said. “But I’m always more comfortable pitching against the division (NL Central) teams. I tried to do the same things against them that I do against the other teams.”

The Cubs, who remain a half-game behind San Francisco for the NL wild-card lead, are 5-0 against the Pirates during the last 10 days amid a stretch of 11 victories in 14 games. They are 6-2 on a four-city, 12-game road trip that ends this weekend in New York.

Perez (10-10) retired the first 14 batters, only to lose his control and walk three in a span of four in the fifth– including Zambrano, whose first career bases-loaded walk drove in the only run. Zambrano is a .209 hitter who homered Friday against the Reds and has three career homers.

The Cubs’ Nomar Garciaparra was 1-for-2 with two walks in his first start since injuring a groin Sept. 11.

Chicago's Carlos Zambrano delivers against Pittsburgh. Zambrano and the Cubs defeated the Pirates, 1-0, Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.

Giants 5, Astros 1

San Francisco — Noah Lowry won his sixth straight decision and remained unbeaten in 13 major-league starts, and Ray Durham hit a two-run double to lead San Francisco over Houston. Lowry limited the Astros to five hits in his second complete game, helping the Giants win for the ninth time in 10 games behind a balanced offense to remain a half-game ahead of the Cubs in the NL wild-card race after Chicago won 1-0 at Pittsburgh. Houston dropped three games back.

Barry Bonds hit an RBI triple off the fence in right-center in the first, and the slugger didn’t get any chances after that. He was intentionally walked four times — the fourth time he’s been issued four free passes in a game this season.

Padres 4, Dodgers 0

San Diego — Jake Peavy pitched eight shutout innings, and Phil Nevin hit a two-run homer to lead San Diego over Los Angeles. Peavy (13-6) allowed a leadoff single to Adrian Beltre in the second, then retired 12 of 13. Peavy struck out eight of 10 during one stretch and matched his career high with 11 strikeouts.

Rockies 4, D’backs 2

Denver — Shawn Estes outpitched Randy Johnson, and Jeromy Burnitz hit his 37th homer, lifting Colorado over Arizona. Estes (15-7) didn’t allow a baserunner until walking Robbie Hammock to lead off the third inning, and didn’t give up a hit until Alex Cintron beat out an infield single on a chopper to the hole at shortstop with one out in the fourth.

Cardinals 3, Brewers 2

Milwaukee — Larry Walker hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, lifting St. Louis over Milwaukee. The Cardinals, the National League Central division champions, improved to 32-13 in their last 45 games. They are 47-27 on the road this season. Today, St. Louis will try for its 100th win for the seventh time in franchise history. The Cardinals last achieved that mark in 1985, when they won 101 games en route to an NL East title and pennant.

Phillies 12, Marlins 4

Miami — Pat Burrell hit a three-run homer, and Eric Milton won for the first time in more than a month, leading Philadelphia over Florida.

Reds 11, Braves 8

Atlanta — Javier Valentin hit a three-run homer to cap Cincinnati’s five-run comeback in the ninth inning off closer John Smoltz, leading the Reds over Atlanta. Chipper Jones’ three-run homer in the seventh gave the Braves an 8-6 lead, but Smoltz (0-1) gave up four hits and five runs, walking a batter and throwing two wild pitches while recording only one out in the ninth.

Mets 3, Expos 2

Montreal — Mike Piazza hit a two-out, RBI single in the eighth inning to help New York end a three-game losing streak. New York moved two games ahead of Montreal for fourth place in the NL East. The Expos have been in last place in the division since April 15.