Pirates End Series With Late Loss to Cubs
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates battled throughout their series finale vs. the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, but again faltered late on in a 4-3 defeat.
The loss for the Pirates means they lose the series as well, as they dropped the second game of the series, 3-1 on Aug. 16. It also makes it seven losses in the past eight games, dropping the last two games at PNC Park to the Cincinnati Reds, Aug. 9-10, and suffering a sweep to the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field, Aug. 11-13.
Pittsburgh falls to 52-73 overall and 18-43 on the road, while Chicago improves to 69-53 overall and 37-23 at home.
Designated hitter Bryan Reynolds hit a two-out double in the top of the first inning, but left fielder Tommy Pham struck out, as the Pirates stranded a runner in scoring position.
Right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski made his first start for the Pirates in three months, last doing so vs. the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 17.
Mlodzinski threw a perfect first inning vs. the Cubs, but then center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong reached first base on an error from Pirates second baseman Nick Gonzales to leadoff the bottom of the second inning.
Crow-Armstrong took second base off a wild pitch from Mlodzinski and then left fielder Ian Happ singled, scoring Crow-Armstrong and putting the Cubs at 1-0.
Pirates third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a one out single in the top of the third inning, moved to second base on a ground out from right fielder Ronny Simon and then scored off of a double from first baseman Spencer Horwitz, tying the game up at 1-1.
Reynolds singled and moved Horwitz to third, putting runners on the corners, but Pham lined out and ended another scoring opportunity.
Gonzales ledoff the fourth inning with a single and center fielder Jack Suwinski hit into a grounder, with Gonzales out at second base, but Suwinski safe at first base after the challenge from Pirates manager Don Kelly.
Shortstop Jared Triolo walked, putting two runners on with one out, but catcher Joey Bart struck out and Kiner-Falefa grounded out, keeping the game tied at 1-1.
Reynolds made it back to second base in the top of the fifth inning off an error from Cubs left-handed relief pitcher Taylor Rogers, but Pham lined out, ending another scoring opportunity.
Mlodzinski finished his outing after four innings, just one hit and one run allowed, plus three strikeouts over 44 pitches.
Right-handed pitcher Colin Holderman made his first appearance for the Pirates since May 19, after he spent time working back from a right thumb injury.
Holderman walked Happ, got a grounder from second baseman Nico Hoerner, which moved Happ to second base, then left a slider over the middle of the plate, that shortstop Dansby Swanson hit right off the third base bag.
Swanson scored Hoerner off the double, putting the Cubs back up 2-1, and then made it to third base, as Pham struggled with the ball in left field.
Holderman got third baseman Matt Shaw to pop out, then Don Kelly made the move for left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney. Heaney got first baseman Michael Busch to fly out, ending the inning.
Gonzales led off the top of the sixth inning with a single off of Rogers and then Suwinski walked, putting two runners with no outs.
Bart then came through with a one out, bases-clearing double, scoring Gonzales and Suwinski, putting the Pirates up 3-2.
The Pirates then put runners on the corners, with Kiner-Falefa reaching first base on a grounder that had Bart out at third base, then Simon singling, putting Kiner-Falefa at third base, but Horwitz grounded out, holding the lead at just one run.
Heaney got the first out of the bottom of the sixth inning, then walked designated hitter Seiya Suzuki and allowed a single to Crow-Armstrong. Suzuki made it to third base and then Crow-Armstrong made it to second base on throw from Simon.
Right-handed pitcher Chase Shugart came in for Heaney and gave up a single to Cubs catcher Carson Kelly, scoring Suzuki and tying the game up at 3-3.
Shugart struck out Happ, loaded the bases after walking Hoerner, then got Hoerner to fly out, ending the inning level.
Suwinski ledoff the top of the eighth inning with a ground-rule double after hitting a ball into the ivy, then moved to third base on the sacrifice bunt from Triolo.
Bart struck out for the second out, Kiner-Falefa walked to put runners on the corners, then Simon struck out, as the Pirates finished 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position (RISP) and left 10 runners on base.
Right-handed relief pitcher Isaac Mattson came in for Shugart in the bottom of the eighth inning. He allowed a leadoff single to Crow-Armstrong, Happ hit a ground-rule double and Mattson intentionally walked Hoerner, loading the bases.
Swanson then hit a fly ball deep enough that scored Crow-Armstrong for the go-ahead run, putting the Cubs up 4-3.
Mattson got the final out, but the Pirates did nothing in the top of the ninth inning from the plate, losing the series.
The Pirates head back home for a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays at PNC Park, Aug. 18-20.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.