Pirates 7, Cubs 5: Bucs split abberviated 2 game set

After splitting a 4 game set in Cincinnati, The Pittsburgh Pirates split an abberiavated 2 game series with the Chicago Cubs to keep the trend going.

This was origanlly suspossed to be a 3 game set, but the number of games was reduced to 2 when Monday's series opener was cancelled in the top of the 5th inning due to rain. When the series resumed on Tuesday, the Bucs lost possibly the dullest game of the year by a score of 5-0. Jake Arrietta completely dominated the Pirate bats, allowing 0 runs and just 2 hits in 7 innings of work, while J.A. Happ struggled in his Pirate debut, allowing 4 earned runs over 4.1 innings. Anthony Rizzo starred offensively for the Cubs, going 4 for 5 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored.

Wednesday night was much better for the Bucs. Gregory Polanco got the party started with a leadoff homerun in the bottom of the first. Pedro Alvarez added to the scoring later in the inning when he drove home Andrew McCutchen with a 2 out bases-loaded single, with Aramis Rameriz getting thrown out at the plate trying to score from 2nd. The Bucs would add to the scoring in the bottom of the 3rd when Andrew McCutchen drove a solo shot to center field. The Cubs would get a run back in the next half-inning when Anthony Rizzo drove home Kyle Schwarber with a sacrifice fly. The Bucs would push the lead back the 3 in the next half inning, thanks in large part to a defensive gaffe by the Cubs.

With 2 outs and a man on 2nd, Starling Marte hit what should have been a routine grounder, but Kris Bryant and Starling Castro got crossed up between 3rd base and Shortstop. The Bucs had a 4-1 lead going into the top of the 6th, but that's when things got interesting. With a man on 1st, Kyle Schwarber hit a 2 run bomb to center field to close the gap to 4-3, and Anthony Rizzo tied it one batter later with a homer of his own.

The Pirates would not take long to reclaim the lead, as Gregory Polanco singled home Francisco Cervelli in the bottom half of the 6th. Andrew McCutchen would add an insurance run later that inning when he drove home Sean Rodriguez with a sac fly. The Bucs would add one more run for good measure in the bottom of the 8th when Rodriguez singled home Cervelli to make it 7-4.

Mark Melancon allowed a meaningless run in the 9th on his way to picking up his 34th save of the season and 32nd in a row, and the Bucs salvaged this shortned series with a 7-5 win. Antiono Bastardo got the win out of relief to improve to 3-1, while Tim Wood got the loss out of relief to fall to 4-4. The Pirates are now 6-4 in their last 10 games, so the team's overall form right now can be described as steady, with the loss of AJ Burnett to an elbow injury cause for concern as the teams pitching depth is in question. The Pirates are 6 games back of St. Louis in the NL Central race and 4 games up on the Cubs for the 1st wildcard spot. The LA Dodgers will come to PNC Park for a 3-game set, with Gerrit Cole facing off with Clayton Kershaw tonight.