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 The Pirates center fielder recorded his 1,000th career hit in the
eighth inning on a 2-for-5 night that included a two-run triple.
Cole (4-0) gave up one unearned run on three hits and one walk while
striking out eight.
"It's a special time," said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle.
"(McCutchen) leads by example, doesn't take anything for granted.
When your best player is one of your hardest workers, it makes
everyone's job easier."
The Pirates, who salvaged the finale of a three-game series, snapped
a two-game losing streak.
Left fielder Starling Marte reached base three times, including a
walk that scored the go-ahead run in the fourth inning. McCutchen
drove in two runs with a sixth-inning triple.
McCutchen, who went 2-for-5, beat out an infield single in the
eighth inning for his 1,000th hit.
Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks (0-1) worked five innings and left
trailing 2-1 before the worst damage occurred. He gave up two runs
on five hits and three walks while striking out six.
"I threw pretty well," Hendricks said. "I had my sinker back, which
was the No. 1 key I was working on all week. I threw some good
curveballs but they had a good approach tonight at the plate."
Pittsburgh third baseman Jung Ho Kang had three hits, while catcher
Chris Stewart and shortstop Jordy Mercer each had two apiece. Cubs
catcher Miguel Montero finished 3-for-4, and center fielder Dexter
Fowler had a pair of hits.
Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant scored from second on Montero's
second-inning base hit to shallow right for a 1-0 lead. Two
infielders missed Montero's bouncing grounder, allowing Bryant time
to score.
Cole, now 8-0 since last Sept. 7, survived a 31-pitch second inning
as the Cubs scored once before he struck out the final three
batters.
"I thought he did a lockdown job, stayed focused," said Hurdle.
"They had about three hitters in this lineup stretch some counts on
him or he would have gone longer. ... But he kept firing."
The Pirates tied it two outs in the fourth on Kang's RBI base hit,
driving in Marte from third.
Marte helped give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead in the fifth when he drew a
walk off Hendricks with bases loaded that scored right fielder
Gregory Polanco.
The Pirates opened a 6-1 lead in the sixth as Cubs reliever Gonzalez
Germen gave up four runs with two outs.
With runners at second and third, Mercer singled to center to drive
in Stewart.
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McCutchen lofted a triple off the center-field wall to score Mercer
and right fielder Gregory Polanco. Marte's base hit to short center
brought home McCutchen.
While Cole appreciated the support, he said the attention belonged
to McCutchen, who has struggled at the plate this season and was
hitting .179 entering Wednesday.
"It's a big hit for him," Cole said. "He knows how he started and
for him to be able to keep grinding and keep an even keel and not
affect anyone else ... it's a testament to how good of a pro he is."
Kang doubled home first baseman Pedro Alvarez with no outs in the
ninth as the Pirates hit Cubs lefty Phil Coke for two runs.
Pinch hitter Sean Rodriguez grounded into a double play that drove
in Kang for an 8-1 lead.
Although May is just two days away, game-time temperature was 39
degrees and a 12 mph wind from the north created a 32-degree wind
chill.
Despite the largely chilly week, the Cubs took two of three from the
Pirates and finished April at 12-8.
"Whenever you win a series against a major league team, I'm really
happy about that," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "It's hard to be
perfect every night, but I thought our effort was great."
NOTES: Pirates RF Gregory Polanco was back in the lineup after
missing two starts with a strained groin. He appeared as a pinch
hitter in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Cubs. ... In 25 career games at
first base, Pittsburgh's Pedro Alvarez has seven home runs,
including four this season. ... Pirates RHP A.J. Burnett (0-1, 1.80
ERA) starts in Friday's opener of a three-game weekend series at St.
Louis. ... Tuesday's win over the Pirates clinched the Cubs' fourth
series win of the season. In 2014, it took the Cubs until June 7 to
record their fourth series victory. ... Cubs LHP Jon Lester (0-2,
6.23 ERA) makes his fifth start of the season Friday in the opener
of a three-game weekend series at home against the Milwaukee
Brewers.
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