Cubs Edge Pirates in Series Opener

CHICAGO: At Wrigley Field on Thursday, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki shone as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2.

Jameson Taillon (7-3) of the Cubs pitched six and one-third innings, conceding two runs on four hits and two walks, along with seven strikeouts. Ryan Pressly secured his fifth save with a flawless ninth inning.

Suzuki homered for the Cubs, who, despite only getting four hits, won the first of their ten-game homestand.

Adam Frazier hit an RBI double in the seventh inning for the Pirates, who lost for the second time in their last seven games.

Pittsburgh’s starting pitcher, Andrew Heaney (3-5), gave up three earned runs in six innings while recording seven strikeouts.

Crow-Armstrong homered after two batters, giving the Cubs the lead. It was his 18th of the year and third in the last seven games.

Suzuki extended Chicago’s lead to 3-0 with a home run off Heaney over the left-field wall. It was Suzuki’s 17th home run of the season and his third in the previous six games.

Taillon cruised into the seventh inning, only allowing a one-out single to Andrew McCutchen in the first.

Frazier’s single allowed Spencer Horwitz to score Pittsburgh’s first run. Taillon then gave up another single before being replaced by Brad Keller, who walked Jared Triolo with the bases loaded after hitting a batter.

In the eighth inning, Chicago reliever Daniel Palencia retired the side in order, and Pressly did the same in the ninth to earn his fifth save of the year.

Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes is scheduled to face the Cubs’ Cade Horton on Friday night in the series’ second game.