Chicago Cubs salvage series split behind big offensive outburst

The Chicago Cubs recovered from a disappointing first two games against the Pittsburgh Pirates by salvaging the final two and earning a series split.

The first two games of this Chicago Cubs-Pittsburgh Pirates series couldn’t have gone much worse for the reigning World Champs. Thankfully, the club put them behind them and ran off two-straight wins to earn a split.

Chicago (77-63) scored lone runs in each of the first four innings. An Anthony Rizzo sac fly opened the scoring in the top of the first. A safety squeeze by Rene Rivera scored Javier Baez in the second. Rizzo drove in his second run of the night in the third, giving the Cubs a 3-0 lead.

The Pirates got a tally back in the bottom of the frame on a Josh Bell groundout. That run marked the only damage Pittsburgh (67-74) managed against Jon Lester. The veteran turned in six innings of five-hit ball. He certainly didn’t appear to be at his sharpest, though. He walked four and struck out five.

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In the top of the fourth, Lester ambushed his opposite number, Jameson Taillon. He drove the first pitch he saw into the gap for an RBI double.

The Cubs snapped their run-per-inning streak in the fifth, putting up a two spot via a Baez groundout and Jason Heyward two-bagger.

Albert Almora Jr. came off the bench in the top of the seventh, driving a laser out of the park for a two-run blast, his sixth on the year.

On the night, Ian Happ recorded three hits and scored a pair of runs. Rizzo increased his team-leading RBI total to 102 on the year and Heyward also added a pair of knocks in the victory.

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What’s Next

Chicago plays its first-ever Friday night game at Wrigley Field tomorrow to open a series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Jimmy Nelson (11-6, 3.59) starts for Milwaukee and John Lackey (11-10, 4.74) takes the ball for the Cubs. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. CT.