Cubs-Pirates game ends in rare tie

[September 30, 2016]  PITTSBURGH--The Chicago Cubs have won 101 games during their best season since 1910, but this was a first -- a tie.

The Cubs and Pittsburgh were tied 1-1 after 4 1/2 innings when a hard rain washed out the rest of the Pirates' final home game of the season Thursday night. Since the season ends Sunday, the suspended game will not be finished, although player stats will count and the game will go down as a tie.

The tie was the first in Major League Baseball since the Houston Astros and Reds played to a 2-2 tie in Cincinnati on June 30, 2005.

The rain was expected -- there were notations in the Pirates' press box notes about the last time the team failed to play 81 regular season home games -- but did not begin until the fourth inning, so the game started on time.

The game would have been official if either team had been in the lead at the time play was called.

Cubs rookie left-hander Rob Zastryzny pitched 3 1/3 innings in his first career start, with the only run against him partly the result of catcher Tim Federowicz's throwing error in the third inning.

The Cubs, owners of baseball's best record (101-57), finish the season with three games in Cincinnati starting Friday, while the Pirates play three in St. Louis.

The Pirates (78-80) must sweep all three games from the Cardinals to finish with their fourth consecutive winning season.

The Cubs, starting a lineup of mostly bench players, produced a run in the second on singles by Wilson Contreras and Matt Szczur and Tim Federowicz's sacrifice fly. Munenori Kawasaki followed with a double, but Zastryzny stranded runners on second and third by striking out.

Zastryzny allowed one error-aided run in the second on Josh Bell's sacrifice fly. Eric Fryer started the inning with a single and moved up when Federowicz threw wildly on Ivan Nova's sacrifice bunt attempt.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon (70) reacts in the dugout against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Nova, who can become a free agent in the offseason, has been very effective since the Pirates acquired him from the New York Yankees last month, allowing two earned runs or fewer seven times in 11 starts.

NOTES: Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (15-10) will skip his scheduled start Friday in Cincinnati with right elbow tightness. The move is precautionary and Hammel said he could have pitched through the discomfort, although it bothered him to throw sliders in his last start. ... The Cubs started mostly bench players, with INF Kris Bryant and INF Anthony Rizzo among those not in the starting lineup. ... Pirates RHP A.J. Schugel received a second medical opinion that confirmed he has rotator cuff inflammation but doesn't need surgery. ... A large photo montage of John Jaso's hit-for-the-cycle night Wednesday already is on display in the PNC press box. The Pirates first baseman became the first player to hit for the cycle in Pittsburgh since PNC Park opened in 2001. ... Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta wasn't a fan of what he called the spring training-like feel Wednesday, but manager Joe Maddon pointed out the Cubs are 7-2 since he began sitting down starters after three at-bats or five or six innings pitched.

[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.