By Zachary McMahon-
The Pittsburgh Pirates played the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL on Sunday afternoon. The Cubs won Saturday’s game, and the Pirates were trying to even the series, after Friday’s victory.
The Pirates had Mitch Keller start on the mound going six innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs, two walks, and three strikeouts. Keller had his eight consecutive game where he went six or more innings, which ties his career long streak. He also had five or more innings in 12 straight starts, which is his longest streak with 49 starts from 2023 to 2024, which is tied for the longest streak of five starts with five or more innings in franchise history with A.J. Burnett from 2012-2013 and Wilbur Cooper from 1921 to 1922.
Colin Rea started for the Cubs, going six innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, one walk, and four strikeouts.
Most of the scoring took place in the first inning, as O’Neil Cruz led off the game with a single. Nick Gonzales also singled, and Spencer Horwitz brought home Cruz on an RBI single. Alexander Canario, who played 21 games with the Cubs in his first two seasons, brought home Gonzales on an RBI groundout. Adam Frazier flied out to center to end the opening half of the first.
For the Cubs, Ian Happ walked and stole second to lead off. With Happ already at third after a groundout by Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki brought Happ on another groundout for the first run of the game. Michael Busch hit a ground rule double, and came home on a single by Dansby Swanson, and that tied the game at two apiece.
It would stay tied until the 10th inning, when the Cubs had Vidal Brujan run for Justin Turner for the automatic runner and Kyle Tucker pinch hit for Reese McGuire, and was intentionally walked by David Bednar. Brujan and Tucker pulled off a double steal to avoid a double play while Jon Berti was at the plate, he eventually struck out. Happ brought Brujan home and the Cubs walked off the Pirates, 3-2 and won the series.
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