Pittsburgh erupted for four runs in the first
inning before holding on as the Cubs saw their five-game winning
streak come to an end.
Richard Rodriguez got pinch-hitter Javier Baez to ground out
with a runner on second to end the game and earn his sixth save.
Cubs center fielder Jake Marisnick left the game with two outs
in the top of the first inning, as he suffered a right hamstring
strain in pursuit of a Difo fly ball. The ball fell into left
center for a two-run single that put Pittsburgh ahead 3-0.
The Pirates made it 4-0 as a throwing error by shortstop
Ildemaro Vargas allowed Difo to score. Difo tripled with one out
in the third to score Eric Gonzalez, and crossed the plate one
batter later as Todd Frazier reached on an error by third
baseman Matt Duffy.
It proved to be just enough support for Anderson (3-3), who
spaced two runs on four hits in eight innings with one walk and
six strikeouts. Anderson retired the final 13 batters he faced
before leaving the game after throwing 102 pitches.
Pirates reliever Kyle Crick hit Anthony Rizzo with a pitch
leading off the ninth to give the Cubs their first runner since
the fourth inning. Chicago didn't stop there, scoring three runs
on an RBI single from Pederson and Vargas' two-run double.
Pederson, who replaced Marisnick and shifted to left field, went
3-for-4 with three RBIs.
Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks fell to 2-4 after allowing six
runs -- four earned -- and nine hits in five innings with one
walk and three strikeouts. Hendricks did not surrender a home
run for the first time since April 7. He had yielded 10 home
runs in his past four starts entering Sunday.
Kevin Newman and Frazier had two hits apiece for Pittsburgh.
--Field Level Media
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