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 The Pirates, though, can also hit.
Mercer had three hits and three RBIs and National League batting
leader Josh Harrison also had three hits as the Pirates stayed hot
with a 7-3 victory over the skidding Chicago Cubs on Friday night.
Mercer delivered the key blow for the Pirates in the sixth inning as
the shortstop's two-run single gave them a three-run cushion at 6-3.
Harrison, the third baseman, raised his batting average to .319.
The Pirates (78-69) won for the seventh time in their last eight
games. They maintained a 1 1/2-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers
for the second National League wild card and stayed 2 1/2 games
behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central.
Second baseman Neil Walker had a pair of RBI singles, including one
in the eighth inning that completed the scoring, and center fielder
Andrew McCutchen and catcher Chris Stewart also had two of the
Pirates' 14 hits.
"It's a case of each man going up there and putting up the best at
bat they can," manager Clint Hurdle said of the Pirates having five
players with multiple hits. "Once the spikes get in the box, we're
going to scratch and we're going to claw. Our hitters are in a
confident place right now."
Gerrit Cole (9-5) pitched six solid innings to beat the Cubs for the
second time in six days and raise his career record to 5-0 against
Chicago. He allowed three runs and five hits with one walk and six
strikeouts.
Cole was able to keep the Pirates ahead 4-3 when he got center
fielder Arismendy Alcantara to foul out to the catcher with the
bases loaded to end the sixth inning.
"That got to be a little bit of a tough inning but I just trying to
keep making pitches and eventually I got out of it," Cole said. "I
was fired up to get that last out because I had to work for it."
Relievers John Holdzkom, Tony Watson and John Axford finished with
one scoreless inning each.
"Hitting comes and goes but our pitching and defense have been
outstanding," Mercer said. "Our guys pitched great tonight."
The Cubs (64-83) dropped their seventh straight game. It is their
longest losing streak since also losing seven in a row from Sept.
22-29, 2012.
Two slumping Cubs rookies, shortstop Javier Baez and Alcantara, hit
home runs. Baez had hit .103 in his previous 10 games while
Alcantara batted .130 in his past 14 games.
Alcantara and catcher Welington Castillo, who had an RBI single in
the sixth to pull the Cubs within 4-3, both had two hits.
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"I thought we put in some pretty good at-bats," Cubs manager Rick
Renteria said. "We ran (Cole) into deep counts at times and I
thought, overall, we played a little bit better than we had the
previous six games."
Left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada (4-3) lasted just 4 1/3 innings in his
first start in a week, giving up four runs and nine hits while
walking two and striking out two. Wada was given an extra day of
rest after leaving his previous start last Friday against the
Pirates in Chicago with cramping in his left calf.
The Pirates used a pair of bloop RBI singles to go ahead, 2-0.
Stewart knocked in first baseman Gaby Sanchez, who doubled, in the
second inning, and Walker drove in a run in the third.
Baez cut the Cubs' deficit to 2-1 by hitting his eighth home run of
the season to lead off the fourth inning.
The Pirates countered in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single
by Mercer.
The Cubs again made it a one-run game in the top of the fifth when
Alcantara hit a solo homer, his ninth.
And, again, the Pirates answered with a run in the bottom half as
right fielder Jose Tabata tripled and scored on pinch hitter Ike
Davis' sacrifice fly.
NOTES: Cubs rookie RF Jorge Soler will miss the three-game series
after traveling to Miami for the birth of his first child. ...
Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo (lower back strain) took batting practice
and ran the bases but is not expected to return to lineup until
Monday when the Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds. He has missed the
last 16 games. ... Pirates LF Starling Marte (bruised left elbow)
did not start after leaving Thursday's win at Philadelphia when he
was hit by a pitch. ... Chicago LHP Felix Doubront (1-1, 2.25 ERA)
will face Pittsburgh LHP Jeff Locke (7-4, 3.60 ERA) on Saturday
night.
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reserved.]
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