|
 Third baseman Mike Olt was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, center
fielder Emilio Bonifacio went 2-for-5 with two runs scored while
catcher Welington Castillo also had two hits as the Cubs snapped the
Pirates' two-game winning streak.
Hammel (2-0) was a winner in his Wrigley Field debut while Pirates
left-hander Wandy Rodriguez (0-2) took the loss.
Rodriquez was lifted for a pinch hitter after working five innings
while allowing four earned runs on nine hits, walked three and
struck out six. Two hits were home runs. Hammel worked seven full
innings and struck out six while walking just one.
The Cubs led 4-1 entering the sixth when Bonifacio doubled to lead
off against right-handed reliever Jeanmar Gomez and advanced to
third on Starlin Castro's ground out to short.
After Gomez walked right fielder Justin Ruggiano, first baseman
Anthony Rizzo doubled to the left field wall to bring home Bonifacio
for a 5-1 lead. Olt made it 6-1 with a one-out RBI single that
scored Ruggiano.
Replay officials in New York then reversed part of a Pirates double
play in the sixth, ruling that left fielder Junior Lake beat out a
throw to first with two out and allowed RIzzo to score for a 7-1
lead.
Pirates right fielder Travis Snider clubbed his first homer of the
season to open the seventh. That cut the Cubs lead to 7-2 and
catcher Russell Martin followed a two-out solo homer later in the
inning to make it 7-3.
Third baseman Pedro Alvarez and Martin each hit solo home runs in
the top of the ninth off right-handed reliever Pedro Strop to cut
the Cubs lead to 7-5.
Bonifacio, baseball's most productive hitter with a .515 average,
led off the first with a single to right and gave the Cubs a 1-0
lead when he scored on Ruggiano's one-out double to left.
The Cubs threatened again in the fourth when Hammel's sacrifice bunt
put runners at second and third with two out for Bonifacio, who
struck out swinging to end the inning.
Hammel, making his second Cubs start and first ever at Wrigley
Field, retired the first 12 batters he faced.
[to top of second column] |
Alvarez tied the score at 1 with a solo homer in the fifth, sending
Hammel's 1-2 pitch into the left-field bleachers
But the Cubs replied with three runs on two homers off Rodriguez in
the bottom of the fifth. Olt's first pitch, two-out homer into the
left-field basket scored Rizzo and gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead. Left
fielder Junior Lake followed with his first of the year, also to
left, to make it 4-1. It was the first time this season the Cubs had
back-to-back homers.
NOTES: A victory on Wednesday or Thursday would give the Pirates
three straight winning series for the first time since 1992 when
they captured six series in a row. ... Pirates LF Starling Marte
came into Wednesday with hits in each of his last nine games played
in Chicago, going 26-for-72 with three doubles, three triples, three
home runs and nine RBI in 17 games. ... RHP Mark Melancon entered
Wednesday with the longest current streak of innings pitch without
allowing a home run (67 innings) among all Major League pitchers.
... Pirates RHP Gerrit Cole (1-0, 2.57 ERA) makes his second start
of the season on Thursday against Cubs LHP Travis Wood (0-1, 4.26
ERA). ... Cubs 2B Emilio Bonifacio is the first Major Leaguer in the
modern era (since 1900) with one hit, two hits, three hits, four
hits and five hits all in his first seven games. His 17 hits are
also the most by any Cub in the first seven games in the last 100
years. ... RHP Hector Rondon has a 13-inning scoreless streak
through 12 appearances dating to Sept. 3, 2013, the fourth longest
current run in the Major Leagues. ... Each of the Cubs' first four
games against the Pirates had been decided by one run. ... The
series concludes Thursday before the Cubs then travel to St. Louis
for a three-game series starting Friday and the Pirates open a
three-game set in Milwaukee.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
