Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Match Player Stats On Jul 09, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 9, 2017

CHICAGO -- Francisco Cervelli hit a grand slam and Andrew McCutchen followed with a home run in a 10-run first inning in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 14-3 rout of the Chicago Cubs on Sunday afternoon to conclude the first half of the season.

McCutchen followed Cervelli's third career grand slam with his 17th home run to stretch the lead to 10 and knock Cubs starter Jon Lester out of the game with two outs in the first.

Lester (5-6) allowed four earned runs and six hits in the shortest outing of his career. He walked three and struck out none, throwing 27 of his 53 pitches for strikes.

The Pirates sent 15 batters to the plate. Jose Osuna delivered a two-run double, Jordy Mercer hit a two-run single and Josh Bell added an RBI single while the Cubs committed two errors.

It was the Pirates' highest-scoring inning since they put up 10 in the seventh against Colorado on May 17, 2009. Pittsburgh last scored 10 runs in a first inning on June 8, 1989, at Philadelphia.

The reigning World Series champion Cubs (43-45) needed to win to enter the All-Star break with a .500 record. A year ago, they were 53-35 at this point.

The Pirates took two of three in the series to finish the first half of the season 42-47.

A.J. Schugel (1-0) got the victory.

Shortly before the game, the Pirates scratched starting pitcher Jameson Taillon because of flu-like symptoms.

Right-hander Chad Kuhl instead started and allowed one run and two hits in three innings. He most recently pitched Thursday, allowing three runs (two earned) in seven innings against the Phillies.

Taillon (5-2, 2.73 ERA) is listed as day to day. He is 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA in five starts since he came off the disabled list June 12 after undergoing testicular cancer surgery on May 8. He also has a career-best scoreless streak of 15 1/3 innings, the third-longest active streak in the majors.

The Pirates improved to 5-1 at Wrigley Field this season and lead the season series against the Cubs 7-5.

The Cubs' Victor Caratini doubled for his first major league hit in the fifth inning. He also had an RBI double in the ninth.

Mike Montgomery allowed two runs in three innings in relief of Lester.

The Cubs chipped into the big lead with a run in the second and another in the fifth. But the Pirates added two runs in the fourth and another in the sixth. Josh Harrison hit his 10th home run in the ninth for Pittsburgh.

NOTES: Pirates OF Starling Marte was 4-for-13 with one home run and three RBIs entering Sunday on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis. He has been on the assignment since July 4 while he serves an 80-game suspension for a positive test for a performance-enhancing drug. Marte is eligible to return July 18. Manager Clint Hurdle said he has talked with the team and Marte about his return. ... INF/OF Josh Harrison is the Pirates' All-Star, and RHP Wade Davis will represent the Cubs at the All-Star Game on Tuesday in Miami. ... The Cubs have yet to set their starting rotation for after the All-Star break. They're waiting to see how RHP Kyle Hendricks (hand tendinitis) does in a rehab outing Monday with Double-A Tennessee. He has been on the disabled list since June 5.