CHICAGO — Neil Walker keeps cranking out hits for the Pirates.

Walker went 3 for 5 Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs, extending his hitting streak to nine games. However, Walker was stranded on base three times, including twice in scoring position, as the Pirates lost, 5-3.

“We’d get things going, but we couldn’t get that big hit,” manager John Russell said. “Walker’s doing a great job, hitting the ball well and driving it.”

During his streak, Walker is batting .425 (17 for 40) with nine runs scored, four doubles, two triples, four homers and 14 RBI.

In August, among all rookies, Walker was tops with 22 RBI and ranked third in slugging percentage (.491), fourth batting average (.306) and fifth in on-base plus slugging percentage (.850).

“There’s really no secret to being successful, other than putting the barrel on the ball and hoping it finds a space where nobody is at,” Walker said. “I’ve just been trying to trust my hands and use the whole field.”

Cubs starter Tom Gorzelanny tossed 22/3 scoreless innings but left the game after being struck on the left hand by Jose Tabata’s line drive. X-rays were inconclusive, and Gorzelanny will have more tests today.

“I thought it hit him in the head,” said Walker, who had played with Gorzelanny in the Pirates’ farm system. “Fortunately, he got his hand in the way. Tommy’s a good friend of mine; I hope he’s doing OK.”

A pair of hits with two outs in the second inning gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Darwin Barney singled. Although Gorzelanny was on deck, right-hander James McDonald (2-5) attacked Koyie Hill, who hit a one-strike changeup into right field for a run-scoring double.

The Pirates tied it in the third on Walker’s solo home run off reliever Thomas Diamond (1-3).

The Cubs regained the lead in the bottom of the third. Starlin Castro blooped a one-out double into right-center. Kosuke Fukudome hit an RBI double to left, then scored on Tyler Colvin’s two-out double.

McDonald wasn’t sharp, allowing eight hits and two walks in five innings. A mechanical flaw — pulling his head to the left — affected his delivery.

“For most of the game, he wasn’t able to get the ball down like he usually does,” Russell said. “It cost him. He had trouble getting ahead. But even without his best stuff, he kept us in it.”

The Pirates got a run back in the fifth but missed a chance for more. With one out, McDonald walked and scored on Andrew McCutchen’s double. Tabata was hit in the ribs by a pitch.

Walker hit a bouncer just inside the third base line. Tabata, perhaps thinking the ball was foul, seemed to get a slow start and was forced out at second base.

With runners at the corners, Garrett Jones struck out to end the inning.

Jones also fanned with the potential tying run at second base and two outs in the seventh.

McDonald got out of a big jam in the fifth, when the Cubs had runners on second and third and none out.

Micah Hoffpauir popped up to third, Colvin lined out to first. After Alfonso Soriano was intentionally walked, Barney flew out to center.

“I fought and battled,” McDonald said. “It wasn’t a great outing, but I kept the team in a situation to win.”

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