Skid snapped, Pirates pursue series victory over Cubs

After ending their five-game losing streak on Friday, the Pittsburgh Pirates will look to claim their weekend series against the host Chicago Cubs with another win on Saturday.

Jack Suwinski belted a ninth-inning solo home run that lifted Pittsburgh to a 3-2 victory in the series opener. His third home run of the season was a big hit for the struggling outfielder who entered the contest hitting .118 through 39 games and 93 at-bats.

That average is not indicative of how the Chicago native, who led the Pirates with 26 homers in 2023, has played of late. Pirates manager Don Kelly called the game-winning hit "sick," not just because Suwinski, who grew up a White Sox fan, hit it against the Cubs but also because the left-handed hitter went to the opposite field in left-center.

"Just so many things adding up, and a just really cool moment for him," Kelly said. "The hard work is paying off, and he's been having really good at-bats. That's just, really, really awesome."

On Saturday, the Pirates will send rookie righty Mike Burrows (1-4, 4.66 ERA) to the mound and hope he can match the efforts of fellow rookie Braxton Ashcraft. In just his third career start, Ashcraft went a season-long five innings and struck out four while keeping the Cubs to three hits and a run on Friday.

Burrows was effective when he faced the host Cubs on June 14. He tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run, five-hit ball but ended up with a no-decision in Pittsburgh's 2-1 loss. His eight strikeouts from that day remain his career high.

The Cubs, meanwhile, are hoping to avoid losing a fourth straight series, though they might have pulled out a victory on Friday if not for several baserunning mishaps.

Pirates catcher Henry Davis caught Ian Happ trying to steal second to end the eighth inning with Pete Crow-Armstrong at the plate. Crow-Armstrong singled in the ninth as part of a 3-for-3 day, but he, too, was thrown out by the top pick in the 2021 draft when he slid past the base while trying to swipe second.

Crow-Armstrong was also thrown out at second to end the fourth inning when he tried to stretch his RBI single into a double.

Chicago manager Craig Counsell said after the game he considers Crow-Armstrong one of the top base stealers in the game. The Cubs star outfielder is fourth in the National League with 30 steals on 36 tries. Counsell also expressed no problems with Crow-Armstrong trying to get in scoring position late in a one-run game.

"I think that's it's a risk, of course, and that's what happens with a risk, unfortunately, but I think we'll always try to be aggressive in that situation," the manager said.

Shota Imanaga (8-5, 3.19) will get the start for the Cubs on Friday. The second-year left-hander is 2-0 and has not allowed a run in three starts against the Pirates. He has posted 17 strikeouts against 10 hits and four walks over 19 innings vs. Pittsburgh.

In his only appearance against the Pirates this season, Imanaga got a win on April 29 at Pittsburgh. He allowed six hits and one walk while striking out three in five-plus innings during a 9-0 victory.

The Saturday game will be the fifth between the teams this season in Chicago. The first four have been pitchers' duels with scores of either 3-2 or 2-1. Two of the contests went 10 innings.