Pittsburgh 4, Chi. Cubs 3
When: 7:05 PM ET, Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Temperature:
42°
Umpires:
Home -
Gabe Morales, 1B -
Kerwin Danley, 2B -
D.J. Reyburn, 3B -
Joe West
Attendance:
15101
By The Sports Xchange
PITTSBURGH -- Gregory Polanco hit his first home run of the season and made a pivotal catch to help the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Wednesday night.
Polanco's homer, a line shot to right field in the fifth inning, increased the Pirates' lead to 4-1. In the top of the inning, he made a running catch of Cubs rookie third baseman Kris Bryant's two-out bases-loaded fly ball inside the foul line to end the threat.
Right-hander Vance Worley (2-1) grinded through 5 2/3 innings for his second straight win, needing 106 pitches to get 17 outs. He allowed one unearned run on six hits while walking two and striking out five.
Polanco also doubled as he finished with two hits.
The Cubs scored twice in the eighth to cut the deficit to 4-3 as catcher Miguel Montero singled in a run and left fielder Chris Coghlan drove in the other with a fielder's choice grounder
Left-hander Tony Watson, though, got the final four outs for his first save of the season and fifth of his five-year career.
Cubs right-hander Jason Hammel (1-1) surrendered four runs -- three earned -- and six hits in five innings with five walks and no strikeouts.
First baseman Anthony Rizzo had two of the Cubs' 10 hits.
Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler left the game after two innings with tightness in his right groin and Pirates left fielder Starling Marte exited in the fifth with a soft tissue contusion in his right hand, the result of being hit by a pitch by Hammel two innings earlier.
Cubs second baseman Addison Russell recorded his first major league hit, a third-inning single off Worley.
The Pirates took a 2-0 lead in the second inning as catcher Francisco Cervelli hit an RBI double high off the right-field wall and rookie shortstop Jung Ho Kang followed with a sacrifice fly.
First baseman Pedro Alvarez's sacrifice fly in the third pushed the Pirates' lead to 3-0.
The Cubs got on the board in the fourth when Bryant led off with a double and scored on a groundout by shortstop Starlin Castro.
Polanco restored the Pirates' three-run lead with his leadoff homer in the fifth.
NOTES: Pirates RHP Mark Melancon will remain in the closer's role despite posting an 8.63 ERA through his first seven appearances. Melancon suffered his first blown save of the season Tuesday night when the Cubs rallied for three runs in the ninth inning to win 9-8. ... Pittsburgh SS Jordy Mercer missed his third straight game because of a bruised chest and his status remained day-to-day. ... Cubs LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (left groin strain) made his first rehab start for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, pitching 5 1/3 innings and throwing 89 pitches against New Orleans. He allowed two runs and six hits with four walks and five strikeouts. ... Chicago RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-0, 6.10 ERA) faces Pittsburgh LHP Jeff Locke (2-0, 1.93) on Thursday.
Top Game Performances
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Hits |
HR |
TB |
Avg |
LOB |
K |
RBI |
BB |
SB |
Errors |
| Chi. Cubs
|
10 |
0 |
12 |
.270 |
20 |
8 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
| Pittsburgh
|
7 |
1 |
12 |
.226 |
8 |
9 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
For more information, contact us