Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates — Recap

📰Game Recap

The Chicago Cubs offense ultimately found its stride against the Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen, pulling away late for a 7-2 victory after being largely held in check by starter Paul Skenes. Despite Skenes' dominant outing, the Cubs managed to break open a close game in the later innings, scoring six of their seven runs after he exited the contest.

Chicago first broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning when Suzuki singled to left, bringing Busch home. The Cubs then extended their advantage in the sixth inning; Happ reached on an infield single that scored Busch on a throwing error, and Suzuki later grounded into a fielder's choice that plated Bregman, making it 3-0. However, the Pirates quickly answered in the bottom of the sixth as Reynolds homered to right, followed by Callihan's double that scored Garcia, cutting the lead to just one run.

The decisive surge came in the eighth inning, where the Cubs added three critical runs to establish a comfortable lead. Ian Happ initiated the scoring with a two-run home run to right-center, also plating Bregman. Later in the frame, Suzuki scored on a passed ball by Davis, further extending the lead. This outburst proved crucial, particularly after Skenes had stifled the Cubs' bats, fanning ten batters and yielding only one earned run over 5.1 innings.

Ultimately, the Cubs' persistent offense capitalized on opportunities against Pittsburgh's relief pitching, turning a tightly contested matchup into a convincing win. The Cubs improved their record to 73-53, while the Pirates fell to 61-66.