|
Skenes (3-3), fresh off a masterful performance
in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers last Friday, labored
through his shortest start of the season.
The 22-year-old reigning National League Rookie of the Year
lasted just five innings. His four walks matched his total on
the season coming in and the aggressive Cubs pounced in the
fifth to turn a two-run deficit into a 3-2 lead.
Swanson led off the fifth with his sixth homer. Tucker added his
eighth two batters later and Suzuki put Chicago in front to stay
with a shot to the left-field bleachers. Ian Happ, a Pittsburgh
native, had three hits. Swanson, Suzuki and Michael Busch had
two hits apiece for the Cubs.
Colin Rea (2-0) allowed two runs in a season-high six innings
for Chicago.
Bryan Reynolds hit his ninth home run for Pittsburgh. The
Pirates have dropped four of five.
Fallen fan aftermath
A crowd of 13,633 turned out for the matinee, including some in
the same front-row seats in right field above the 21-foot high
Clemente Wall where a fan fell from on Wednesday night. The
unidentified male was in critical condition at Allegheny General
Hospital on Thursday after what Pittsburgh Police described as
an accident.
The public address announcer read a statement from Pirates owner
Bob Nutting before the first pitch in which Nutting called the
incident one of the most difficult moments many of us have ever
experienced.
Key moment
Skenes walked the bases loaded in the third, but escaped major
damage by inducing a double play to get out of it.
Key stat
1 the number of home runs Skenes had allowed in his first six
starts.
Up next
Cubs: visit NL Central rival Milwaukee this weekend. Ben Brown
(2-2, 6.04 ERA) starts against the Brewers' Quinn Priester (1-0,
3.79).
Pirates: Pittsburgh welcomes San Diego for a three-game series
beginning Friday. Mitch Keller (1-2, 3.97) gets the ball for
Pittsburgh in the opener.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
