Pirates blow yet another late lead, falling to Cubs in series sweep
PITTSBURGH — Christian Bethancourt drove in seven runs, including a go-ahead two-run single in the ninth, as the Chicago Cubs rallied past the Pittsburgh Pirates 14-10 on Wednesday to sweep a three-game series.
The Cubs trailed by seven through six innings before taking advantage of another shaky performance by Pittsburgh's bullpen.
Bethancourt hit a two-run homer in the seventh to start Chicago's surge. The catcher added a two-run double in the eighth and laced a sharp bases-loaded single to left against Pirates closer David Bednar (3-7) to complete the comeback.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had a career-high four hits to boost his batting average over his last 21 games to .341 (26 of 76). Ian Happ chipped in three hits for the Cubs, who scored 41 runs across three games at PNC Park to improve to 17-8 over their last 25 games.
Porter Hodge (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings to become the unlikely winner.
Chicago's rally spoiled a solid if not spectacular start by Pirates rookie Paul Skenes. The 22-year-old gave up three runs, two earned, over the first two innings but settled down to retire 11 of the final 13 batters he faced.
Skenes' ERA ticked up to 2.23 after he was removed following 82 pitches with the Pirates seemingly comfortably in front. Skenes is in a race with San Diego outfielder Jackson Merrill and Milwaukee outfielder Jackson Chourio for National League Rookie of the Year. The Pirates have no plans to shut down their young ace, though they do plan to monitor his workload the rest of the way after falling out of the playoff picture.
The team has been giving Skenes an extra day or two of rest in between starts, and his velocity has ticked down — by his standards — of late. None of Skenes’ fastballs reached triple digits, though he hit 99 mph frequently.
Bryan Reynolds and Connor Joe both homered and finished with three hits for Pittsburgh. Rowdy Tellez also had three hits for the Pirates. Oneil Cruz singled and doubled while making his first career start in center field.
The 6-foot-7 Cruz easily handled a fly ball in the sixth but was charged with a questionable throwing error when he unleashed a 103.3 mph throw home on a single by Crow-Armstrong. The ball bounced in front of catcher Yasmani Grandal, who couldn't snag it and rolled to the backstop, allowing Crow-Armstrong to move up a base.
It didn't seem to matter as the Pirates jumped on Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks (six runs in 1 2/3 innings) to eventually go up 10-3.
The advantage slowly slipped away, with Bethancourt right in the middle of it. Chicago had drawn within one and had runners on second and third with one out when the Pirates opted to walk Crow-Armstrong to set up a forceout at any base.
Bethancourt instead ripped a sharp grounder past Pirates shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who took the position for Cruz, to put the Cubs in front. Chicago poured it on from there to move to 5-1 on a nine-game road trip that wraps up in Washington this weekend.
Pirates: DH Andrew McCutchen (knee) has resumed all baseball activities and could return this weekend. McCutchen was eligible to come off the injured list on Tuesday. ... 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes has had multiple doctors look at his lower back, with no definitive diagnosis. The Gold Glove winner is doing light rehab but no baseball work. ... LHP Marco Gonzales is having surgery in early September to repair the flexor tendon in his left elbow and will be out for at least nine months. ... 1B Tellez left in the seventh inning after noticeably limping while running out a ground ball.
Pirates: Are off Thursday, then head to Cleveland to begin a three-game interleague series with the skidding Guardians on Friday. Bailey Falter (6-7, 4.25) faces Ben Lively (11-8, 3.62) in the opener.
