Pirates 10, Cubs 4

[September 08, 2014]  Pirates 10, Cubs 4: Gerrit Cole struck out eight over six innings and hit one of four Pittsburgh home runs as the visiting Pirates completed a three-game sweep of Chicago. Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker both went deep among three hits and Jordy Mercer also homered as Pittsburgh moved a half-game ahead of Atlanta and Milwaukee for the second wild-card spot. Cole (8-5) gave up four runs (three earned) and nine hits to pick up his first win since July 4.

Cubs left-hander Travis Wood (8-12) was roughed up for seven runs and nine hits in 1 2/3 innings and has only one win in his last 15 starts. Mike Olt had a career-high three hits and drove in a run and Matt Szczur notched his first two major-league RBIs for Chicago.

Walker blasted a two-run shot to left in the first, and the Pirates broke it open in a five-run second. Pittsburgh collected six straight hits in the big inning, including back-to-back homers from Mercer and McCutchen and RBI singles from Starling Marte and Jose Tabata.
 

Gaby Sanchez's RBI single made it 8-0 in the fourth before Olt's run-scoring single snapped the Cubs' 19-inning scoreless streak an inning later, and Welington Castillo cut it to 8-2 with an RBI double in the sixth. Cole's two-run shot in the seventh restored the eight-run margin before Szczur's two-run single made it 10-4 in the bottom of the inning.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Pirates' 19 hits are their most since also recording 19 on June 29, 2012, against St. Louis, and match the most the Cubs have allowed this season. … Walker's blast was his 19th, tying Bill Mazeroski's franchise season record for a second baseman set in 1958. … Cole's homer was the first by a Pirates pitcher since Ross Ohlendorf went deep at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 15, 2011.

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