[September 04, 2021]
Frank Schwindel hit a go-ahead
home run in the sixth inning as the Chicago Cubs pushed through for
a 6-5 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates to extend their
winning streak to four games.
Michael Hermosillo also hit a home run for the Cubs (61-75), while
both Schwindel and Hermosillo had three hits each out of the top two
spots in the Chicago order and had a combined five RBIs.
The Cubs were playing not long after learning that manager David
Ross and team president Jed Hoyer tested positive for COVID-19, but
reportedly are asymptomatic. Andy Green served as Chicago's interim
manager.
Anthony Alford hit a pair of home runs for the Pirates (48-87), who
have dropped four consecutive games in Chicago after playing the
White Sox earlier this week. Pittsburgh also has lost six of its
last seven games.
Hermosillo got the Cubs' offense going in the second inning with a
two-out single that scored both Alfonso Rivas and Sergio Alcantara
for a 2-0 lead.
Schwindel made it 3-0 with a single through the infield to score
Hermosillo. The Cubs added a run in the third on a single from
Austin Romine to score Matt Duffy and a home run from Hermosillo in
the fourth made it 5-0. It was Hermosillo's third of the season.
The Pirates came alive in the fifth inning with back-to-back home
runs from Alford and Hoy Park to start the inning.
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Cole Tucker
(3) steals second base against Chicago Cubs shortstop Sergio
Alcantara (51) during the first inning at Wrigley Field.
Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh then added a run to cut the
deficit to 5-3 in the sixth when Colin Moran scored on a throwing
error to first from Alcantara at shortstop. After Green was ejected
for arguing with second-base umpire Tom Hallion, Alford hit a
two-run home run to tie the score 5-all. It was Alford's fourth of
the season.
Schwindel got lead back in the Cubs' half of the sixth inning by
hitting a 3-0 pitch from Shelby Miller (0-1) into the seats in left
field.
Cubs right-hander Trevor Megill (1-0) earned the victory with a
scoreless 1 1/3 innings, while right-hander Rowan Wick pitched a
scoreless ninth inning for his second save.
Cubs starter Alec Mills gave up five runs (two earned) on seven hits
over 5 2/3 innings, while Pirates starter Steven Brault gave up five
runs on seven hits over four innings.
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