Pirates lose lead late then rally to defeat Cubs

Michael Chavis hit a game-tying home run in the eighth inning and a game-ending bloop single in the 10th on Thursday to give the Pittsburgh Pirates an 8-7 win over the visiting Chicago Cubs.

Against Chicago’s Scott Effross (1-3) in the 10th inning, Ke’Bryan Hayes was the automatic runner for the Pirates. Bryan Reynolds was intentionally walked before Chavis drove in Hayes on a 0-1 pitch.

Hayes and Reynolds also hit home runs, Oneil Cruz hit an RBI double and Tyler Heineman had an RBI single for the Pirates, who took three of four in the series.

Pittsburgh starter Jose Quintana gave up two runs and six hits in six innings, with six strikeouts and one walk. Pittsburgh’s Chris Stratton (4-3) pitched a scoreless 10th.

Nico Hoerner and Alfonso Rivas each had a two-run single in the eighth inning as the Cubs took a 7-6 lead. Patrick Wisdom added an RBI single in the frame.

Chicago starter Justin Steele allowed six runs (five earned) and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, with eight strikeouts and no walks.

In the first, Reynolds hit a one-out homer to center, his 12th, for a 1-0 Pittsburgh lead.

Chicago moved ahead in the third. Hoerner had an infield base hit, Nelson Velazquez walked and P.J. Higgins had a bunt single to load the bases. An out later, Willson Contreras reached on a fielder’s choice, with Hoerner scoring to tie it. Happ singled home Velasquez to make it 2-1.

In the bottom of the third, with Bligh Madris aboard, Hayes homered to left-center field, his third, for a 3-2 Pirates lead.

With two outs in the fifth, Hayes reached on Jonathan Villar’s error at second and scored when Reynolds reached on Wisdom’s error at third.

Pittsburgh’s Yu Chang singled and scored on Cruz’s double in the sixth. Heineman singled, and Cruz scored on Christopher Morel’s throwing error from center, making it 6-2 before the Cubs went ahead with a five-run eighth.

Chavis tied it leading off the bottom of the eighth with a home run to center, his seventh.

–Field Level Media

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