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(Sports Network) - After receiving a day of rest after playing one of the wildest games of the young season, the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates resume a three-game series tonight at PNC Park.

Fans attending the Pirates' home opener on Monday were treated to an entertaining and high-scoring 12-inning contest, albeit one that ended in a Pittsburgh loss. The Cubs blew an early seven-run lead before rebounding to earn a 10-8 victory, the club's third straight win following a 1-3 start to the season.

Aramis Ramirez drove in Ryan Theriot with a sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run in the 12th and finished with two RBI for the Cubs. Geovany Soto and Kosuke Fukudome each collected two hits on the afternoon, with Soto also driving in a pair of runs.

Chicago built a quick 7-0 lead on the strength of a six-run third inning, capped by Ronny Cedeno's three-RBI double. However, Pittsburgh responded by scoring five times in the fourth to get back in the game, and later knotted the score at 8-8 when Jose Bautista crossed the plate on Chicago second baseman Mark DeRosas seventh-inning throwing error.

Nate McLouth went 3-for-5 with a triple and two RBI for the Pirates, who lost for the third time in their last four games, while Bautista and Luis Rivas each had two hits and a pair of runs scored.

Jon Lieber picked up the win for Chicago with three scoreless innings of relief and Carlos Marmol notched his first save of the year after keeping the Bucs off the board in the bottom of the 12th.

The Cubs will attempt to maintain their winning ways tonight behind Ryan Dempster, who is coming off a successful return to the starting rotation after serving the past three years as the team's closer.

On Wednesday, Dempster limited Milwaukee to two runs -- one earned -- and just three hits over six innings to earn the victory in his first start since May 4, 2005. The right-hander also fanned five and walked only two in a solid 91- pitch effort.

Dempster has not had much success facing the Pirates or pitching in PNC Park over the course of his 10-year career. In 37 lifetime appearances (12 starts) against Pittsburgh, the 30-year-old is 3-7 with nine saves and a 6.04 earned run average.

He has pitched in PNC Park 17 times previously, including four starts, and gone just 1-4 with a 6.44 ERA in those outings.

Zach Duke looks to build off an encouraging first start of 2008 when he takes the mound for Pittsburgh tonight. The young lefty, who was a disappointing 3-8 with a 5.77 ERA a year ago, held Atlanta scoreless for the first five innings on Wednesday before running into trouble in the sixth. He was charged with three runs (two earned) on 10 hits and didn't receive a decision in a 4-3 Pirates' win.

Duke is an impressive 4-2 with a 2.10 ERA in eight career starts versus Chicago, but he had a loss and a no decision in two appearances against the Cubs last season.

Chicago won eight of the 15 meetings between these National League Central foes last year but went only 6-9 at PNC Park over the previous two seasons prior to Monday's triumph.