Pirates hang on to beat Cubs on two first-iinning homers

[September 24, 2020]  First-inning home runs by Adam Frazier and Ke'Bryan Hayes held up Wednesday as the Pittsburgh Pirates won their second straight game, 2-1 over the visiting Chicago Cubs.

Pittsburgh (17-39) had lost five straight before the two consecutive wins and now has clinched at least a split in the four-game series with the Cubs.

Anthony Rizzo hit a solo homer for Chicago (32-24), which was held to five hits.

The Cubs are 9-6 in their past 15 games and were 6-1 against the Pirates before dropping the two straight.

Pittsburgh starter Trevor Williams (2-8), making his final start of the year, pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up one run and three hits, with four strikeouts and three walks. He had been 0-5 in six starts since his only other win.

It marked the seventh time in the past nine games that Pittsburgh starters have been charged with one or no runs.

Richard Rodriguez pitched the ninth, striking out the side, for his fourth save, a night after he earned a win.

Chicago's Kyle Hendricks (6-5) gave up two runs and seven hits in 7 2/3 innings, with three strikeouts and one walk.

He had been 3-0 in his previous four starts. He has pitched into the eighth in each of his past three starts.

It looked at first as if the game might turn into a home run derby.

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

With one out in the first and on an 0-2 pitch, Rizzo hit his 11th homer, to center, for a 1-0 Cubs lead.

It was the 12th homer surrendered by Williams in his past six starts.

In the bottom of the first, Pittsburgh's first two batters cleared the wall. Frazier hit his sixth, to right, to tie it. Hayes hit his fourth, to center, for a 2-1 Pirates lead.

Hayes, a rookie and touted prospect, has at least one hit in 16 of his first 20 games.

Things died down as both starters settled down.

--Field Level Media

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