Pirates Blow Big Early Lead in Loss to Cubs

Lowe got some help from a windy day at Wrigley Field, with the wind pushing his home run 38 feet for the grand slam.

He then hit his second home run in the top of the fifth inning, as he took a four-seam fastball from Taillon right over the middle of the plate and didn't need the wind to aid him on this one, hitting it 444 feet.

That solo shot gave Lowe his fifth home run on the season and the Pirates a 6-2 lead, as he had five RBI vs. the Cubs. It was his first game with five RBI since June 4, 2024 vs. the Miami Marlins on the road, when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz showed the first bit of power for the team, as he hit a leadoff home run off Taillon to make it a 1-0 game.

Cruz hit an 84.6 mph changeup away and sent it 422 feet, with 65 feet added on by the wind, the most ever for a home run, according to Weather Applied Metrics, which MLB has used the past four seasons.

Both Lowe and Cruz lead the Pirates with five home runs and have provided necessary power for a team that desperately needs it the rest of the way.

Bubba Chandler Has Longest Start of Season

The Pirates heavily used their bullpen in the first two games of the series, so right-handed starting pitcher Bubba Chandler had a big outing ahead of him.

Chandler had a decent outing, despite some issues, throwing a career-high 91 pitches over 5.1 innings, giving up three runs, but also making sure that he went far enough to not burden the bullpen.

He had some strong innings, like his seven-pitch first inning and 11-pitch fourth inning, but also threw 20+ pitches in the second, third and fifth innings too.

Chandler did allow two solo home runs to shortstop Dansby Swanson and designated hitter Moisés Ballestros in the bottom of the third inning and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth inning, but kept the Cubs from making a serious comeback after their early deficit.

One interesting thing Chandler did in his start was rely much less on the four-seam fastball, as he he threw it 66% of the time in his last start and 74% of the time in his first start of the season.

Chandler threw his fastball just 42% of the time, while relying much. more on his slider and changeup, showing his trust in his pitch mix.

He also limited his walks to just two, dropping down from four walks in his second start and six walks in his first start, as he gains more command as the season progresses.

Bullpen Blows Lead Again

Rookie left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco came in relief for Chandler and got a ground out and a strikeout to end the sixth inning.

Barco had his struggles in the seventh inning, as he loaded the bases with just one out and could've surrendered the Pirates lead.

He got a pop up from third baseman Alex Bregman, which Lowe caught but fell on, scoring Swanson from third base, and then got a ground out to keep the Pirates ahead 6-4.

Right-handed pitcher Justin Lawrence took the mound in the bottom of the eighth inning and walked right fielder Seiya Suzuki, but then posted back-to-back strikeouts, before walking Swanson.

Lawrence then gave up a single to first baseman Michael Busch, which scored Suzuki, but then Pirates left fielder Bryan Reynolds made an errant throw and Swanson came all the way around and scored as well, tying the game up at 6-6.

He got the last out on a grounder from second baseman Nico Hoerner, but the Cubs had comeback and leveled the score.

Ninth Inning Goes Way of the Cubs

Cruz got on base with a walk with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, stole second base and then made it to third base on a passed ball.

Lowe worked a full count on Cubs right-handed pitcher Daniel Palencia and had a check swing that didn't cross the plate, but third base umpire Alex MacKay called him out anyways, prompting frustrations from Cruz and Lowe on the call.

Right-handed pitcher José Urquidy came on in the ninth inning and gave up a leadoff double to Michael Conforto.

Urquidy got a ground ball that held Conforto at first base, but shortstop Konnor Griffin's throw was just a tad late for the speed Bregman to make it to first base safely.

He then got another ground ball from left fielder Ian Happ, as they got Bregman out at second base, but Happ made it safely to first base and then Urquidy walked Suzuki to load the bases and then gave up a hit to Carson Kelly, giving the Cubs the win.