Game Recap: Cubs top Pirates as massive series loom

Melissa Tamez - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 3 hours ago

CHICAGO - In what seems like forever, the Chicago Cubs (70-53) have won a series, and it came against a Pittsburgh Pirates (52-73) team that gave them all they could handle. In what was another pitcher-friendly weekend at Wrigley Field, when you look at the weather conditions, an already struggling Cubs offense had to figure out a way to get some runs, and that hasn't come easily as of late.

Coming into the weekend, many fans felt this could be a get-right series for the Cubs offensively, especially when you look at how the Pirates played against the Brewers earlier in the week. The Cubs are certainly not the Brewers, and their offense has been in a hibernation period for the better part of two months, as time is running out for them to get back on track.

Despite another lackluster offensive performance that saw the Cubs pick up six hits, they made the most of their chances as the Cubs took down the Pirates 4-3 for the series victory and now prepare for their biggest series of the season coming up. Making just his second start since returning from the IL was Javier Assad, and although this was another short start, the results were much better this time around.

Assad gave the Cubs four innings of three-strikeout baseball, allowing one run on five hits before handing things over to Taylor Rogers and the pen. After working around a two-out double in the first, Assad was given some early run support as a leadoff error to begin the second, which put Pete Crow-Armstrong on base, which is never what you want as the opposition.

Armstrong would reach second on a wild pitch, which came in handy as Ian Happ delivered the games first run with an RBI single that put the Cubs on top 1-0. That was the only run Carmen Mlodzinski would allow in his start as he matched Assad with four innings, striking out three and allowing just that lone single to Happ as the Cubs' offense continued to struggle.

Pitching with the lead for the first time since returning from the IL, Assad ran into some third-inning trouble as Isiah Kiner-Falefa delivered a one-out single, setting the Pirates offense up. Two batters later, and this was a 1-1 game as Spencer Horowitz came through with a clutch double, which proved to be the only run Assad would allow. Pittsburgh had a shot to take the lead in the third with Bryan Reynolds adding a single, but with Horowitz being held at third, Assad managed to escape without further damage.

With things still tied in the fifth and both starters out of the game, this was going to come down to the bullpens, as both teams didn't stick with their starters too long. Rogers was lights out for the Cubs in his inning of work, while Colin Holderman had his struggles after entering the game in the bottom of the fifth.

After driving home the game's first run, Happ played a role in the Cubs' second run as his leadoff walk set the Cubs offense up in a good spot. Happ managed to reach second a few pitches later and then raced in to score on the Dansby Swanson double as the Cubs were back in front 2-1. Swanson would play an even bigger role later as he showed up in a big way on his bobblehead day.

Since moving to the pen after returning from Iowa, Ben Brown has looked like a different pitcher, and barring an injury, the pen is where he will most likely stay. Brown didn't get off to the best start, allowing a leadoff single to Nick Gonzalez to begin the sixth before a walk put two runners on and no outs.

Two batters later, and it was Joey Bart coming through as his RBI double put the Pirates on top for the first time, 3-2, and in position to add more. Brown managed to hold the Pirates right there and managed to give the Cubs 2 2/3 innings of four-strikeout ball, but with the damage already done, it was the Cubs playing from behind again, which isn't the spot the team wants to be in.

Immediately after falling behind for the first time, it was the top of the Cubs lineup poised to do the damage as a one-out walk to Seiya Suzuki was followed by a Crow-Armstrong single, and once again the Cubs had a runner in scoring position. Unlike most of the season, where the Cubs have struggled to deliver, they were 3-7 with RISP on Sunday, and Carson Kelly delivered the final hit with an RBI single to make this a 3-3 game.

That is where things would stand entering the eighth as a leadoff double by Jack Suwinski put the go-ahead run on base before moving to third on the Jared Triolo bunt. That is as close as Suwinski would get as Brown combined with Caleb Thielbar to keep the Pirates off the board as things remained tied 3-3.

Since getting a day off after a brutal start to August, Crow-Armstrong is coming around as a leadoff single to begin the bottom of the eighth and put the go-ahead run on base. PCA would be erased based on a fielder's choice, but with a ground rule double off the bat of Happ, it was the Cubs with a pair of runners in scoring position and their best hitter coming to the plate.

Knowing that, Pittsburgh chose to intentionally walk Nico Hoerner to load the bases and elected to take their chances with Swanson, who has struggled all season with runners on base. Despite not being able to get a hit, Swanson got the job done as he delivered a huge sacrifice fly to put the Cubs on top 4-3 and had them three outs away from a series win.

That would be all they would need as Andrew Kittredge came into pitch the ninth over Daniel Palencia and proceeded to retire the Pirates in order as he recorded his first save since June 2024 in the Cubs' 4-3 win. The win, mixed with the Brewers' first loss in 14 games, puts the Cubs eight games out of first place as they begin a massive five-game set with the Brewers on Monday.