Scoring four or more runs is normally a winning recipe for the Pittsburgh Pirates as the team entered play 69-13 when accomplishing this, however the Chicago Cubs were able to overcome this for a 9-6 victory Sunday afternoon.
“If you come on the short end you want other teams to beat you,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “We continued to get in our way. We didn’t play a very good game and we’ve been outplayed these past three games.”
The game’s result also was coupled with a left knee injury for Jung Ho Kang.
“It’s just unfortunate, because he’s a very big part of this team and I know firsthand because I’ve been through something like that before this year,” Jordy Mercer said. “I’ll definitely be on his side and talking to him and helping him as much as I can throughout the process. It’s tough not being out there and helping your team. It’s tough watching from the sidelines and it’s not a good feeling. We all wish him the best.”
Clint Hurdle did not provide an update on Kang other than his being taken to the hospital. None of the team’s middle infielders called Chris Coghlan’s slide dirty. According to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune, Coghlan wrote Kang a note to check on his health.
In meeting with the media, Neil Walker said he expected Kang to be out for an extended period of time. Cubs manager Joe Maddon stated the injury was all about technique and that Coghlan’s slide was clean.
Charlie Morton struggled with his command early allowing leadoff singles to Dexter Fowler and Kyle Schwarber to open the game. Chris Coghlan than reached base on an error by Kang. When Anthony Rizzo grounded into a double play, a run scored and Kang was removed from the game as Coghlan slid into him.
In the second inning, the Cubs took a 3-0 lead behind RBI doubles from both Addison Russell and Tommy La Stella.
The Pirates however were unfazed and scored the next four runs of the game. Travis Snider hit his fourth home run of the season, his first as a Pirate which landed in the center field bushes.
An inning later, Gregory Polanco hit his ninth home run of the season, also into the bushes. After Neil Walker was hit by a pitch, Pedro Alvarez hit a two-run home run over the Clemente Wall in right field. This was Alvarez’s 24th home run of the season and fourth which was not a solo shot.
By the end of the fifth inning, all of the Cubs position players had a hit. The six-run fifth required three Pirates pitchers to get out of the inning.
Coghlan who was booed in subsequent at-bats following Kang’s injury led off with a double. Rizzo then hit his 30th home run scoring both runs and giving the Cubs a lead once again. After Kris Bryant singled, Morton’s start ended.
Morton did not make any excuses with reporters after the game and blamed himself for what he said were bad pitches.
Morton [9-8] threw four-plus innings, his second shortest start of the season and allowed nine hits which is one behind his season high.
Joe Blanton did not fare any better as Miguel Montero reached on Alvarez’s 20th error of the season. Alvarez now has had 20 or more errors in each of the last four seasons.
Russell then added an RBI single. After a passed ball advanced both runners, Cubs pitcher Clayton Richard, doubled them both in. Richard was on the mound after starter Kyle Hendricks lasted three innings, his shortest start of the season. La Stella then added a single and that ended Blanton’s day.
Bobby LaFromboise ended up pitching a full inning, as neither Morton, nor Blanton got a batter out.
In the seventh inning, the Pirates scored two runs. Josh Harrison led off with a double and advanced 90 feet on a Chris Stewart ground out. Polanco then hit a ball high off the Clemente Wall to score the first run. Walker then added a double which scored the other run.
Richard [4-2] was traded earlier in the season from the Pirates to the Cubs so that he had an opportunity to pitch in the big leagues. The move backfired against the Pirates in this game.
Travis Wood pitched the last two innings and struck out five batters. Wood earned his second save of the season and of his career.
The two teams combined for 28 hits in this game.
The Pirates will begin their final road trip of the regular season, a 10-game trip, Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jeff Locke [8-10 4.43 ERA] will face Zack Greinke [17-3 1.61 ERA]. Locke is 1-2 with a 3.50 ERA in four career games [three starts] against the Dodgers.
Photo credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
