Pirates walk off in ninth against sliding Cubs

[August 17, 2019]    Kevin Newman hit a two-out walkoff single Friday as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the visiting Chicago Cubs 3-2.

Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Pirates entered the ninth against Kyle Ryan trailing 2-1. Bryan Reynolds got a one-out infield single. Brandon Kintzler (2-2) replaced Ryan and got Starling Marte to ground out.

Josh Bell was intentionally walked and left for pinch-runner Erik Gonzalez. Kintzler walked Colin Moran to load the bases, then walked pinch-hitter Cole Tucker to bring in the tying run.

Newman worked his way to a 3-2 count before sending the ball up the middle for the winning hit.

Moran had an RBI single for Pittsburgh, which has won three of its past four games.

Tony Kemp hit a two-run triple for the Cubs, who have lost four straight.

Pittsburgh starter Joe Musgrove tied a career high with nine strikeouts, walked none and pitched seven shutout innings before he was charged with two runs in the eighth.

Keone Kela (2-0) pitched a scoreless ninth.

Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks gave up one run and three hits in seven innings, with one strikeout and one walk.

In the fourth, Marte singled to left with one out and stole second. After Bell flied out, Moran's base hit to right brought home Marte for a 1-0 Pirates lead.

The Cubs' Kris Bryant hit a two-out single in the fourth to become the first baserunner against Musgrove, but he was stranded.

Javier Baez led off the fifth with a double down the line in right. Musgrove then set down the next three batters, including two strikeouts. Baez returned after missing Thursday's game because of illness.

In the eighth, Jonathan Lucroy hit a one-out bloop single to center and went to third on pinch-hitter Ian Happ's base hit to right. That chased Musgrove, who left with a loud ovation and 97 pitches on his scorecard.

Vazquez, the Pirates' closer, relieved and immediately gave up Kemp's triple to the wall in center, bringing home Lucroy and Happ for a 2-1 Chicago lead.

--Field Level Media

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