Cubs Add Six Runs in Middle Innings to Conquer Pirates 7-2

The lead didn't last long. In the bottom of the first, the Pirates answered. Nick Gonazalez singled with the bases loaded to score Andrew McCutchen and Oneil Cruz and subsequently give the Bucs a 2-1 lead. 

Despite the lead, the Pirates were held off the board for the rest of the game. Javier Assad settled in for the remainder of his start, going 4.1 innings. Assad gave up four hits, two runs (only one earned), and two walks while fanning four. 

The Cubs tied the game in the top of the fifth. Bellinger doubled to score Nico Hoerner and even the game at 2-2. 

In the top of the sixth, the Cubs took the lead. Miguel Amaya's single scored Michael Busch from third to go up one. 

Then, in the top of the seventh, the Cubs blew the game open. Four runs in the frame gave the Cubs the cushion they needed. Christopher Morel knocked in a run with a single, followed by Ian Happ's double that scored another. Finally, Nick Madrigal scored Morel and Happ with a double to give the Cubs a 7-2 lead. 

Ben Brown was great over 3.2 innings of work and picked up the win for the Cubs. Brown only allowed two hits and one walk while striking out six Pirates batters. In addition, a near-clean inning from Adbert Alzolay finished the game off in the ninth to secure the 7-2 win. 

Bats Back to Life

After the Padres series, the offense severely needed to take a win and run with it. The Cubs' offense scored six runs in the duration of the three-game set at Wrigley Field earlier in the week. By the top of the seventh, the offense single-handedly outscored their total in the previous series. 

Now, the pressure is on to keep that going. At least one more win over the weekend will position the Cubs nicely in the NL Central. They still sit a half-game back of Milwaukee for the lead in the division. 

At the end of the day, a four-hit night from Cody Bellinger, two-hit nights from Christopher Morel and Ian Happ, and a slew of hits from others got the job done over the Pirates and their stud young starter Jared Jones. 

What's On Tap Next?

The Cubs and Pirates will do battle again with a late-afternoon first pitch. RHP Paul Skenes makes his MLB debut for the Pirates while LHP Justin Steele takes the mound to spoil the top prospect's debut. First pitch is at 3:05 p.m. CDT.