Jack Suwinski clubbed a tiebreaking homer in his hometown during the fifth inning, and the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates generated enough offense to post a needed 3-2 victory over the surging Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.
Michael Chavis had three hits with an RBI and four pitchers allowed five hits and struck out 11 for the Pirates, who salvaged the finale after being outscored 16-0 in the first two of the three-game series. Pittsburgh collected nine hits Wednesday, one more than its total from the previous two contests.
Suwinski, who attended high school 8 miles west of Wrigley Field and made his major league debut April 26, broke a 2-2 tie with his solo drive that landed in the right-center-field basket. It was his third home run in 20 major league games, and the first by a Pirate in four contests.
Ian Happ homered and Frank Schwindel had an RBI single for Chicago, which had won a season-high four in a row.
The Cubs’ Drew Smyly (1-5) was charged with all three Pittsburgh runs and lost his fifth consecutive start. He yielded six hits and a walk and struck out five over 4 1/3 innings.
After Pirates spot starter Wil Crowe retired the first two Cubs batters of the night, Happ delivered his opposite-field shot into the left-center-field bleachers for a 1-0 Chicago lead. Meanwhile, Smyly struck out five of the first seven batters he faced.
With two outs in the third, Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a double off the top of the basket in center field and scored the Pirates’ first run of the series on Chavis’ single. Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead Dan Vogelbach followed with a run-scoring single.
Crowe allowed only the homer and a walk while striking out three in two innings. Mitch Keller (1-5), who entered with a 6.61 ERA, came on in the third for his first 2022 relief appearance, and he gave up Schwindel’s single that tied the game in the fourth.
Pittsburgh’s David Bednar got the final six outs for his eighth save in as many chances.
–Field Level Media