The Pittsburgh Pirates potent offense was held at bay tonight by Chicago Cubs starter Jason Hammel tonight in their 7-2 loss. Gerrit Cole started out the game well, but was overcome by the Chicago Cubs only going 4.2 innings and giving up six runs on the night.
The Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs started a three game series in PNC Park tonight as the top two teams in the National League Central battled it out in the first of 18 meetings between the two teams this season. The Chicago Cubs got the upper hand in the first game of the series defeating the Pirates by a score of 7-2.
The key to the Cubs victory was great starting pitching by starter Jason Hammel. Hammel kept what has been a potent Pirates offense at bay going 5.0 innings giving up two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out three. Hammel has been one of the starters that has been overlooked in the Cubs rotation, but he has quietly had a very successful year coming into the game with an ERA under 1.00.
The Pirates opposed with Gerrit Cole who started the game out well but deteriorated as the day went on. In the end, he only pitched 4.2 innings giving up six runs, five earned, on six hits while walking four and striking out six. He allowed hits early on but was able to get out of some jams. However, allowing so many hits would eventually come back to bite Cole and once the third inning rolled around the game became more and more out of reach.
Things were looking good for the Pirates to start the game as they scored the first run of the contest. Andrew McCutchen hit his team leading sixth home run of the season to put the Pirates up 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning. The Pirates would be retired in order to finish the first inning and the score would stay at 1-0.
The Cubs took control of this game in the top of the third inning as things started to unravel for Cole. The inning started off with a walk to Dexter Fowler followed by a line out by Tommy La Stella and a flyout by Kris Bryant to give the Cubs a runner at first with two outs. Then Anthony Rizzo tied the game at one on an RBI double that scored Fowler. The Cubs then took the lead the very next batter as Ben Zobrist hit an RBI single that scored Rizzo and gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead.
The Cubs would later put the game out of reach in the fifth inning as with one out Bryant walked and Rizzo doubled to give the Cubs runners at second and third with one out. Then Zobrist drove in his second run of the game as he hit a sacrifice fly that scored Bryant and gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead. Cole's night ended as he hit Addison Russell and walked Matt Szczur loading the bases for the Cubs.
AJ Schugel came in for relief and did not do much better than Cole did. The first batter he faced, David Ross, hit an RBI single that scored both Rizzo and Russell to put the Cubs ahead 5-1. The Cubs would add one more in the inning on a caught stealing error that scored Szczur and gave the Cubs a 6-1 lead.
The Pirates tried to get back into the game in the bottom of the fifth and almost did as they threatened with runners at first and second with nobody out after Jordy Mercer singled and Jason Rogers walked. John Jaso moved the runners over on a ground out to first and McCutchen drove in his second run of the ball game with an RBI groundout that scored Mercer and made the score 6-2.
The Cubs would score their final run of the ball game in the top of the seventh after Zobrist was hit by a pitch and Javier Baez singled and advanced to second on a throwing error to give the Cubs second and third with one out. Then, a wild pitch by Lobstein allowed Zobrist to score and gave the Cubs a 7-2 lead.
One bright spot for the Pirates on the night was the work they got out of the bullpen. Kyle Lobstein came in to relieve Schugel and pitched 3.0 innings giving up only one run on three hits while striking out a batter. Arquimedes Caminero finished up the game for the Pirates pitching a scoreless inning giving up a hit and a walk and striking out a batter.
The Pirates have a tough task ahead of them tomorrow in game two of this three game series against the Cubs as it will be Jake Arietta (5-0 1.00) versus Jon Niese (3-0 5.08). Niese has been one of the most consistent of the Pirates starters this season and is coming off of an outing where he got a no decision against the Colorado Rockies. Arietta has been just as good this season as last season and is coming off of his worst start of the year where he went 5.0 innings giving up one run on three hits while walking four and striking out six. First pitch for tomorrow's contest is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
No comments:
Post a Comment