CHICAGO -- Right-hander Gerrit Cole improved to 4-0 on the season with a strong six-inning effort as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 8-1 Wednesday.

The Pirates, who salvaged the finale of a three-game series, snapped a two-game losing streak.

Cole, now 8-0 since Sept. 7, gave up one unearned run on three hits and one walk while striking out eight.

Left fielder Starling Marte reached base three times, including a walk that scored the go-ahead run in the fourth inning. Center fielder Andrew McCutchen drove in two runs with a sixth-inning triple.

McCutchen, who went 2-for-5, beat out an infield single in the eighth inning for his 1,000th career hit.

Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks (0-1) worked five innings and left trailing 2-1 before the worst damage occurred. He gave up two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six.

Pittsburgh third baseman Jung Ho Kang had three hits, while catcher Chris Stewart and shortstop Jordy Mercer each had two apiece. Cubs catcher Miguel Montero finished 3-for-4, and center fielder Dexter Fowler had a pair of hits.

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant scored from second on catcher Miguel Montero's second inning base hit to shallow right for a 1-0 lead. Two infielders missed Montero's bouncing grounder, allowing Bryant time to score.

The Pirates tied it two outs in the fourth on Kang's RBI base hit, driving in Marte from third.

Marte helped give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead in the fifth when he drew a walk off Hendricks with bases loaded that scored right fielder Gregory Polanco.

The Pirates opened a 6-1 lead in the sixth as Cubs reliever Gonzalez Germen gave up four runs with two outs.

With runners at second and third, Mercer singled to center to drive in Stewart.

McCutchen lofted a triple off the center field wall to score Mercer and right fielder Gregory Polanco. Marte's base hit to short center brought home McCutchen.

Third baseman Jung Ho Kang doubled home first baseman Pedro Alvarez with no outs in the ninth as the Pirates hit Cubs lefty Phil Coke for two runs.

Pinch hitter Sean Rodriguez grounded into a double play that drove in Kang for an 8-1 lead.

Although May is just two days away, game-time temperature was 39 degrees and a 12 mph wind from the north created a 32-degree wind chill.

NOTES: Pirates RF Gregory Polanco was back in the lineup after missing two starts with a strained groin. He appeared as a pinch hitter in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Cubs. ... In 25 career games at first base, Pittsburgh's Pedro Alvarez has seven home runs, including four this season. ... Pirates RHP A.J. Burnett (0-1, 1.80 ERA) starts in Friday's opener of a three-game weekend series at St. Louis. ... Tuesday's win over the Pirates clinched the Cubs' fourth series win of the season. In 2014, it took the Cubs until June 7 to record their fourth series victory. ... Cubs LHP Jon Lester (0-2, 6.23 ERA) makes his fifth start of the season Friday in the opener of a three-game weekend series at home against the Milwaukee Brewers.