CHICAGO – Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a crucial two-run homer in the fourth inning and Seiya Suzuki added a solo shot in the sixth as the Chicago Cubs held off the Pittsburgh Pirates for a 3-2 victory Thursday night at Wrigley Field. The win gave the Cubs a strong start in the National League Central showdown series.
Crow-Armstrong, Suzuki Power the Offense
Pete Crow-Armstrong opened the scoring with his 18th home run of the season, a two-run blast that energized the home crowd. Just two innings later, Seiya Suzuki extended the lead with a solo home run – his 17th of the year. Their combined efforts pushed them into fifth and tied for sixth place, respectively, in the National League home run leaderboard.
Taillon Shines Against Former Team
Jameson Taillon (7-3) delivered a strong performance against the team that drafted him No. 2 overall in 2010. He pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing just two earned runs on four hits and striking out seven. Taillon was in full control through six innings before running into trouble in the seventh.
Key Stat:
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Pirates left 5 runners on base, while the Cubs stranded only 2.
Pirates Rally Falls Short in the Seventh
Pittsburgh came alive in the seventh inning with an RBI single from Adam Frazier and a bases-loaded walk to Jared Triolo, trimming the lead to one run. But reliever Brad Keller came in and struck out Oneil Cruz with the bases loaded, ending the threat and preserving the lead.
Ryan Pressly pitched a clean ninth inning to earn his fifth save of the season.
Up Next: Skenes vs. Horton in Game 2
The series continues Friday night as Paul Skenes (4-6, 1.88 ERA) takes the mound for the Pirates against Cubs right-hander Cade Horton (3-1, 4.11 ERA). The matchup features a duel between one of the league’s top young arms and a rising prospect in Horton.
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