Seiya Suzuki punched a tie breaking single in the eighth and Nico Hoerner added insurance as the Cubs edged the Pirates 3-1, evening the series after Pittsburgh’s 3-2 win on Friday. Kyle Tucker sparked the rally with a leadoff single and stolen base against lefty Evan Sisk, who took the loss; Andrew Kittredge earned the win and Brad Keller recorded his first save by striking out the side in the ninth.
Shota Imanaga authored seven strong frames for Chicago, allowing just three hits and one run with six strikeouts; the lone blemish was Tommy Pham’s 428-foot solo homer in the fourth. The Cubs answered in the bottom half when Carson Kelly’s RBI single scored Tucker to even it at 1-1. Rookie Mike Burrows held his ground for Pittsburgh with five innings of one-run ball, scattering five hits with four strikeouts.
The Pirates had chances but couldn’t cash in. They put two aboard in both the fifth and seventh, and Jared Triolo reached third in the eighth after a single and steal, but Bryan Reynolds struck out to end the threat. Pittsburgh finished 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, and after Nick Gonzales’ leadoff single in the ninth, Keller fanned Andrew McCutchen, Joey Bart, and pinch-hitter Spencer Horwitz to slam the door.
Sunday’s rubber match features Javier Assad for Chicago (0-1, 9.00 ERA) against Pittsburgh’s Carmen Mlodzinski (2-7, 4.20), with first pitch set for 2:20 p.m. ET at Wrigley Field.
(photo courtesy of ESPN)