PITTSBURGH _ Mike Montgomery's first start Monday turned out to be a pleasant surprise for Cubs.
Montgomery pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, and Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell each hit home runs as the Cubs pulled away to a 7-0 win over the Pirates at PNC Park.
Montgomery, filling in for the injured Yu Darvish, retired the first 13 batters before Corey Dickerson hit a single up the middle in the fifth. Sean Rodriguez led off the sixth with an infield hit, but Montgomery struck out the next two batters before he was replaced by Steve Cishek.
Montgomery struck out five and didn't walk a batter in his 76-pitch performance.
Montgomery entered Monday's game with an 0-1 record with a 5.33 ERA in 18 appearances this season, with a pair of three-inning stints serving as his longest outings. Montgomery was 5-5 with a 4.15 ERA in 14 starts last season.
Montogmery was staked to a 1-0 lead when Rizzo hit his seventh home run off Chad Kuhl to start the second. Kyle Schwarber was robbed of a home run when Dickerson leaped over the left field wall to catch his deep drive in the second.
Russell, pinch-hitting for Tommy La Stella, ripped a two-run home run down the left-field line with two out in the seventh off reliever Steven Brault.
Chris Gimenez, making his first start at catcher as the Cubs looked to add some spark after arriving at their team hotel at 3:45 a.m. following Sunday night's 8-3 win over the Giants at Wrigley Field, collected two hits.
The Cubs added two runs on a throwing error by catcher Elias Diaz in the eighth, and Rizzo hit a two-run single in the ninth.
Meanwhile, the Pirates were without the services of closer Felipe Vazquez for Monday's game. Vazquez, however, said his left forearm tightness is minor and believes he could return Tuesday night.
"It felt like a little pop, but it looked worse than what really happened," Vazquez said. "Everything is back to normal."
Vazquez said he experienced a similar ailment in 2014. "They gave me six weeks off. It's not going to happen now."
Also, Nick Kingham will start in place of Ivan Nova on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, pitcher Luke Farrell was promoted from Triple-A Iowa and reliever Justin Hancock was optioned to Iowa. Farrell pitched a scoreless ninth.
