Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) – Gerrit Cole fanned eight in six innings and
all nine Pittsburgh Pirates starters had at least one hit in their 8-1 win
over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday in the finale of a three-game set from
Wrigley Field.
Cole (4-0) gave up just one unearned run on three hits to improve to 6-0
lifetime against the Cubs. He was also provided more than enough run support
from Pittsburgh’s bats.
Jung-Ho Kang, filling in at third base to give starter Josh Harrison a day
off, had three hits for the first time in his career. Kang, Andrew McCutchen
and Starling Marte all drove in two runs, and Gregory Polanco scored twice in
the lopsided win.
Kyle Hendricks (0-1) allowed a pair of runs on five hits over five innings of
work, but Chicago’s bullpen did not make out quite as well. Gonzalez Germen
gave up four runs in the sixth inning, and Phil Coke surrendered two more
in the ninth.
Germen struck out Kang and Cole around a Chris Stewart double and walked
Polanco before losing his form. Jordy Mercer singled in a run to make it 3-1
and McCutchen followed with a two-run triple to the wall in center.
Neil Walker then drew a walk and Marte followed with an RBI single that made
it 6-1.
Kang followed a Pedro Alvarez double with one of his own in the visiting
ninth for another run, and he scored on Sean Rodriguez’s double-play groundout
later in the inning.
Chicago took the first two games of this series and had won four straight
games since consecutive losses in Pittsburgh on April 22-23.
The Cubs struck first, as Kris Bryant walked, advanced to second on an error
and scored on Miguel Montero’s single. Montero advanced on an Alvarez miscue,
but Cole struck out the next three batters.
It was all Pittsburgh from there. Kang tied the game at 1-1 with his RBI
single in the fourth, and Hendricks walked Marte with the bases loaded in the
fifth to make it 2-1.
Game Notes
Kang was 4-for-22 in his rookie season before Wednesday’s game … Pittsburgh
improved to 6-6 on the road this season … The Pirates have won six of eight
… Montero had three of Chicago’s seven hits.
