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The Cubs winnowed their magic number to one by
chasing Skenes (10-10) during a rare rocky outing for the NL Cy
Young Award favorite. Busch led off with his 29th homer of the
season, a shot to the final row of seats above the Clemente Wall
in right field, and finished with three hits as Chicago won for
the sixth time in seven games.
Nico Hoerner added three hits and Carson Kelly, Dansby Swanson
and Mosies Ballesteros had two apiece for the Cubs in support of
starter Cade Horton (11-4), who bolstered his NL Rookie of the
Year credentials by limiting the Pirates to one run over five
innings. The 24-year-old right-hander is 8-1 with a 0.92 ERA
since the All-Star break.
Brad Keller worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save.
Skenes is a near lock to become the first pitcher to win Rookie
of the Year and follow it up by capturing a Cy Young the next
season since former New York Mets star Dwight Gooden in 1984 and
1985. Yet the 23-year-old's final start at PNC Park this season
was a rare misstep at a place where he has dominated.
The towering right-hander gave up three runs on seven hits with
three walks and six strikeouts and was pulled after 3 2/3
innings, the shortest start of his career outside of a brief
two-inning stint at Yankee Stadium last fall in an appearance
that was mostly ceremonial at the end of his breakout rookie
season.
The last-place Pirates have dropped 10 of 11.
Key moment
Busch's 385-foot shot on the game's fourth pitch was a sign of
things to come. Pete Crow-Armstrong singled home Ian Happ later
in the first, just the second and third runs Skenes has allowed
in the opening inning all season.
Key stat
Skenes has 209 strikeouts, one short of Mitch Keller's
single-season record for most by a right-handed pitcher in the
franchise's 137-year history.
Up next
The NL Central rivals meet for the final time this season
Wednesday when Chicago's Matthew Boyd (13-8, 3.05 ERA) starts
against Johan Oviedo (2-0, 2.81).
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