Field Level Media
Aug 18, 2019
Nicholas Castellanos, Jason Heyward and Anthony Rizzo homered Sunday to help the Chicago Cubs drub the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 in the MLB Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa.
Kyle Schwarber added a two-run single, and Kris Bryant an RBI double for the Cubs, who won their second in a row following a four-game losing streak.
Chicago won its first road series since taking two of three against Washington from May 17-19. The first two games of the series were played at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
Starling Marte hit a solo homer for the Pirates.
Chicago starter Jose Quintana (11-7) was strong, pitching seven scoreless, five-hit innings, with seven strikeouts and no walks. He won for the third time in his past four starts and seventh time in his last nine. He hasn't lost a start since June 22.
Pittsburgh rookie Mitch Keller (1-2), making his fifth major league start, gave up six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, with five strikeouts and two walks.
The teams spent the day in Williamsport, and several players interacted with the Little League World Series participants.
At Bowman Field a few miles from the site of the youth tournament, the Cubs got going in the first. Castellanos hit his 17th homer, a solo shot to left, with one out.
With two outs in the third, Heyward's 18th homer, to left, made it 2-0.
Rizzo drew a walk to lead off the fourth, and Javier Baez doubled him to third. Schwarber drove them both home with a single to left for a 4-0 Chicago lead.
In the fifth, Heyward opened with a double to right-center. After Castellanos struck out, Bryant doubled to left to drive in Heyward to make it 5-0.
That chased Keller for reliever Chris Stratton. The first batter he faced, Rizzo, smashed his 23rd homer off the scoreboard in center to boost the lead to 7-0.
Against Craig Kimbrel, who was activated from the injured list earlier in the day, Marte led off the ninth with his 21st homer, a first-pitch shot to left, to spoil the shutout.
--Field Level Media