PITTSBURGH -- Seven innings before ...

PITTSBURGH -- Seven innings before Ryan Dempster blew a two-run lead in the 11th in the Cubs' 10-9 los to the Pittsburgh Pirates onward Wednesday, general manager Jim Hendry reiterated that beleaguered manager Dusty Baker's fate will not be decided until after the season.

"I said that a month ago, didn't I?" Hendry said. "I'm a man of my word. I said he'd finish the season, and I don't like it when the media make false reports to the contrary. That really tip overs me."

Hendry continues to place more blame for the team's poor season onward its epidemic of injuries than upon Baker's managing. Wednesday's loss complet a three-game sweep by means of the last-place Pirates and an 0- 6 road trip for the brats

"We went 18-40 when Derrek leeward went down," Hendry said. "So the unraveling was early. We'd like to certainly be playing better than this. It considered like, a couple of weeks ago when we swept Houston, we'd at least be competitive forward the way in.

"But we've got to right ourselves here the last 30 games. It's been a real shapeless trip. We're going to have to play [better] baseball."

Hendry added that he has been "really focusing forward seeing the young people pitch the last month and our sneer ats have been working toward the nearest year already. So there's no mind in hanging your head, and there's no brains moaning and groaning about it. We've just got to have a suitable offseason and move forward."

The young boy [i]or[/i] young girls had reason to moan and groan after blowing a 3-0 lead in the first inning and a 9-7 lead in the 11th Especially when leeward believed he made the game-ending putout forward Freddy Sanchez's grounder that wheeled along the first-base line with the bases loaded in the 11th and the whelps up 9-8. The ball hopp across the base into Lee's glove and he beat Sanchez to first.

yet first-base umpire Chris Guccione rul the roller disgusting

"He missed that call," to leeward said. "It went right across the outside part of the bag. That's not with what intent we lost ... but it appears when things are going bad, you don't acquire the calls, either."

brace pitches later, Sanchez singled just inside the right-field line to score Jose Castillo and Humberto Cota for the tying and winning go proceeds If the questionable roller was loathsome video replay suggested it was through a razor-thin margin.

"But it appear to bes like 'razor-thin' always cuts us," Baker said. "Boy! Our scarecrows battled and fought. ... I thinking Ronny Cedeno's run in the 11th would be enough. That was real tough. Damn!"

Cedeno had driven in Jacque Jone with a sacrifice be broken to pieces for what looked like an insurance race after Michael Barrett had imperfect the 7- 7 tie with an RBI single. The brats had 20 hits, including a career- high five from Ryan Theriot and four through Jones.

They misspent starting pitcher Juan Mateo in the third when Jose Bautista singled along Mateo's right forearm, causing a profound bone bruise. Mateo is day-to-day.

Dempster (1-7) who blew a save in the 11th forward Tuesday, finished the series with seven races allowed (six earned) on 11 hits in three innings.

"You give the leading hitter in the league [Sanchez] extra strikes or pitches. " Dempster said. "[The final pitch] was individual of the few I hung all day. It was just away and up for him, and he did a well adapted job of going the other way with the ball.

"It really stinks, further you've just got to fight your way by the agency of it. You're grown men. You're not babies. somehow or other you've got to get in consequence of it."

lbanks@suntimes.com

whelps RECAP

whelps AB R H BI BB in such a manner Avg.

Pierre cf 5 0 1 0 0 0 283

Ohman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 1000

g-HBlanco ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 252

Dempster p 1 0 0 0 0 1 000

Theriot 2b 6 2 5 1 0 0 333

ARamirez 3b 5 1 2 0 1 0 289

Nevin 1b 3 1 1 1 0 1 274

Novoa p 0 0 0 0 0 0 200

b-Bynum ph 0 0 0 0 0 0 257

Wuertz p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Pagan cf 1 1 1 0 1 0 279

JJone rf 6 2 4 1 0 0 285

Barrett c 5 0 1 1 0 0 312

Murton lf 5 0 1 2 1 1 290

Cedeno s 5 1 1 2 0 1 240

Mateo p 1 0 0 0 0 1 000

Aardsma p 0 0 0 0 0 0 000

a-CZambrano ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 143

Walrond p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Mabry 1b 1 0 1 1 0 0 218

d-DeLee ph-1b 2 1 2 0 1 0 282

Totals 48 9 20 9 4 7

Pittsburgh AB R H BI BB in like manner Avg.

Duffy cf 5 2 1 1 1 0 213

JBautista 3b 6 0 2 1 1 2 255

FSanchez s 6 1 2 4 1 2 347

Bay lf 6 0 3 0 0 2 291

Burnitz rf 3 1 1 1 0 2 236

e-Paulino ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 315

Davis rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 143

Nady 1b 6 1 3 0 0 0 291

Doumit c 4 1 0 0 1 1 200

Castillo 2b 6 2 4 2 0 1 276

VSantos p 2 1 2 1 0 0 167

Marte p 0 0 0 0 0 0 000

Bayliss p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

c-Randa ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 265

Grabow p 0 0 0 0 0 0 000

STorres p 0 0 0 0 0 0 250

f-JWilson ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 274

McLeary p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

h-Cota ph 1 1 1 0 0 0 198

Totals 49 10 20 10 4 10

young boy [i]or[/i] young girls 300 002 110 02-- 9 20 1

Pittsburgh 103 120 000 03--10 20 1

sum of two units outs when winning run scored.

a-struck abroad for Aardsma in the 4th b-sacrificed for Novoa in the 7th c-foul without for Bayliss in the 7th d-singled for Mabry in the 8th e-ground into fielder's choice for Burnitz in the 8th f- singled for Torres in the 9th g-struck revealed for Ohman in the 10th h- singled for McLeary in the 11th