Chicago Cubs Recap: Team blows pair of sizable leads in Wrigley slugfest

Despite a four-run first inning, the Chicago Cubs blew a pair of sizable leads in a disappointing 8-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field.

Leading 6-3 heading into the seventh inning, the Chicago Cubs’ chances for evening the series looked promising. But, as we’ve seen countless times over the years, on a windy day at Wrigley Field, no lead is safe.

Right-hander Pedro Strop battled Andrew McCutchen in the top of the seventh with two men on and two away. After getting the Pittsburgh outfielder to put up a paltry swing on a slider, he tried again. It didn’t end well.

McCutchen drove the ball down the left-field line, where it landed in the bleachers, erasing another Chicago lead and putting Pittsburgh ahead 8-6. That game-winner was one of four home runs on the afternoon by the Pirates’ offense.

Offense hot out of the gates, then quickly cooled

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Facing top Pirates pitching prospect Tyler Glasnow in the first inning, Kris Bryant squared up a pitch, driving it off the left-field video board an estimated 451 feet for a two-run shot. After Bryant’s blast, Ben Zobrist reached on a fielding error, setting up Addison Russell‘s run-scoring triple.

Outfielder Jason Heyward capped off the four-run first, driving in Russell with an opposite-field single. With a four-spot on the board, the Cubs handed things over to Jake Arrieta.

Arrieta pitched into the sixth with a limited degree of effectiveness thanks to very hitter-friendly conditions. He served up a pair of long-balls en route to a three-run, five-strikeout effort.

Pittsburgh  got one of their runs right back in the second via a Francisco Cervelli home run. After Starling Marte drove in a run with a single in the third, the Pirates were kept off the board until the sixth.

A hitter-friendly day at the Confines

In addition to Bryant and Cervelli’s homers, the Pirates added an additional pair of blasts on the afternoon. Marte, who drove in an early run with a single, took Arrieta deep in the sixth.

With newcomer Brian Duensing on the hill in the seventh, Josh Harrison squared one up – his first homer of the year – cutting the Cubs’ lead down to 6-4. Later in the frame, a bloop RBI single to right chased the lefty from the game.

The two teams combined for six home runs on the day. With the loss, Chicago is guaranteed its first series loss of the 2017 regular season.

Cubs’ Player of the Game honors

Bryant did his part to try to pull the Cubs even in the ninth, smacking his second homer of the afternoon. It barely escaped the playing field, but it counts all the same.

The Chicago third baseman finishes the afternoon 2-for-5 with a pair of homers and three RBI. He also made several nice plays defensively at the hot corner.

Next: Cubs fans are near-impossible to please; and that's okay

What’s Next

Chicago (6-5) and Pittsburgh (5-6) conclude this three-game set on Sunday at Wrigley Field at 1:20 pm CT.