Jack Suwinski's tiebreaking homer in the 9th lifts Pirates over struggling Cubs 3-2

CHICAGO (AP) —

Jack Suwinski hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the ninth inning to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 3-2 win over the struggling Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Suwinski, a Chicago native, hit Daniel Palencia's (1-3) 1-1 fastball the opposite way, into the left-field bleachers for his third homer. The Pirates ended a five-game losing steak and sent the Cubs to their fourth loss in five games.

Pete Crow-Armstrong broke out of a 3-for-41 slump by going 3 for 3 with his first RBI since July 30. Crow-Armstrong also was hit by a pitch and scored a run. The Cubs All-Star was thrown out twice on the bases; trying to stretch a single to double in the fourth and was caught stealing in the ninth after leading off with a single.

Andrew McCutchen and Isaiah Kiner-Falefa each had an RBI double.

The Cubs entered eight games behind surging NL Central-leading Milwaukee. Matt Shaw added a sac fly.

Dennis Santana (4-4) got the final four outs for the win.

Pirates rookie Braxton Ashcraft allowed one run on three hits in five innings, striking our four and walking none in his third and longest start

Cubs starter Colin Rea allowed one run on three hits in five innings.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on McCutchen's double. The Cubs tied it in the bottom half on Crow-Armstrong’s RBI single.

Kiner-Falefa's RBI double in the seventh put Pittsburgh ahead 2-1. The Cubs tied it at 2 in the bottom half on Shaw's sac fly with the bases loaded, scoring Crow-Armstrong from third.

Key moment

The Cubs loaded the bases with none out in the seventh and scored only one run. After Shaw's sac fly, reliever Isaac Mattson got pinch hitter Carson Kelly and Justin Turner to pop out.

Key stat

Crow-Armstrong's double was his first extra base hit since Aug. 1.

Up next

Pirates RHP Mike Burrows (1-4, 4.66 ERA) faces Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (8-5, 3.19) on Saturday.

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