The first two RBIs of Esteban Quiroz’s major league career helped the visiting Chicago Cubs to a 6-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
At 5-5 in the eighth, batting against Yohan Ramirez (1-1), P.J. Higgins singled, Jared Young walked and both advanced on Christopher Morel’s sacrifice bunt. Higgins was out at home on Zach McKinstry’s grounder before Quiroz’s single drove in Young.
Patrick Wisdom added a two-run home run for the Cubs (66-85), who have won four in a row.
Chicago starter Javier Assad gave up four runs, three of them earned, in four innings, with two strikeouts and three walks.
Manuel Rodriguez (2-0) gave up a run in two innings. Erich Uelmen pitched the ninth for his first career save.
Bryan Reynolds hit a homer and an RBI single, Jack Suwinski also homered, and Cal Mitchell and Kevin Newman each had an RBI double for the Pirates (55-96), who dropped their eighth straight.
Pittsburgh starter Bryse Wilson pitched five innings, allowing two runs and five hits, with five strikeouts and three walks.
In the first, Oneil Cruz walked, stole second and came home on Reynolds’ single for a 1-0 Pittsburgh lead.
Chicago moved ahead 2-1 in the second. Ian Happ doubled ahead of Wisdom’s 24th homer, to left.
Suwinski led off the bottom of the second with his 17th homer, to right, for a 2-2 tie.
Mitchell and Newman hit their RBI doubles back-to-back in the third for a 4-2 Pirates edge.
The Cubs regained the lead in the sixth with just one ball leaving the infield. They loaded the bases against Wil Crowe as Wisdom walked, Alfonso Rivas struck out, Higgins walked and Young singled to right. Crowe walked pinch hitter Franmil Reyes to bring in Wisdom, cutting it to 4-3.
Manny Banuelos relieved Crowe and walked McKinstry to force in Higgins for a 4-4 tie. Quiroz got his first career RBI when he reached on a high chopper for an infield base hit, with Young scoring to make it 5-4.
Wisdom was ejected by umpire Ryan Wills in the seventh after objecting to being called out on strikes.
Reynolds tied it 5-5 in the seventh with a home run to center, setting a career high with his 25th of the season.
–Field Level Media