Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Match Player Stats On Sep 06, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 6, 2017

PITTSBURGH -- Alex Avila's RBI triple in the ninth inning Wednesday night broke up a pitchers' duel as well and lifted the Cubs recorded a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, ending Chicago's three-game losing streak.

Anthony Rizzo drew a one-out walk against Pittsburgh reliever Daniel Hudson (2-6) in the ninth. Pinch runner Leonys Martin stole second, and after Ian Happ struck out, Avila sent a liner into the right field corner to drive in Martin.

Chicago (76-63) has a chance to split the four-game series Thursday.

The Pirates (67-73) saw their four-game win streak end.

Pedro Strop (4-4) pitched the eighth inning for the win. Wade Davis tossed the ninth for his 29th save.

Pittsburgh starter Gerrit Cole pitched eight scoreless innings, giving up two hits -- an infield single by Javier Baez in the second and a broken-bat single to left by Jon Jay in the eighth. He struck out eight and walked four, throwing 108 pitches.

It was a strong bounce-back effort from his previous start, when he gave up five earned runs in six innings against the Cincinnati Reds, but he still hasn't won at PNC Park since June 13.

Chicago's Jose Quintana, who won three of his previous four starts, threw six scoreless innings. He allowed six hits and one walk with six strikeouts in a no-decision. He threw 105 pitches.

The Cubs had runners on first and second in each of the first two innings. After back-to-back one-out walks in the first, Cole got Rizzo to ground into a double play. The Cubs got a two-out walk and Baez's infield single in the second before Cole struck out Quintana.

Quintana's strikeout was the start of Cole's string of setting down 14 Cubs in a row, until Happ drew a one-out walk in the seventh. Happ advanced to second on a grounder but was stranded.

Pittsburgh got runners to first and second with two outs in the fourth, but Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant made a leaping snag of a liner by Jordy Mercer to end the inning.

NOTES: Pittsburgh RF Gregory Polanco and INF/OF Adam Frazier, both on the disabled list with hamstring injuries, ran the bases Wednesday. ... Pittsburgh C Francisco Cervelli (left quadriceps) has hit a plateau in his rehab. ... Pittsburgh RHP George Kontos (groin) threw a simulated game Tuesday with no problems afterward or on Wednesday. ... Pittsburgh RHP Ivan Nova is expected to start Sunday at St. Louis after his spot was skipped Tuesday so he could regroup. ... Chicago C Willson Contreras (hamstring) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Thursday with high Class A Myrtle Beach. ... Cubs 2B Ben Zobrist was given the night off from the starting lineup in favor of Tommy La Stella, who went 0-for-3. ... Chicago hired former major-leaguer Will Venable as a special assistant to the president and GM.