The Pittsburgh Pirates came from behind to beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on Monday night, ending the Cubs’ six-game winning streak. Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning to tie and take the lead. The Cubs had a 3-0 lead after a strong outing from pitcher Jameson Taillon, but their bullpen faltered, allowing the Pirates to come back.
Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton praised his team for their perseverance, with pinch-hitter Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Nick Gonzales kickstarting the rally with hits before Reynolds and McCutchen’s homers. McCutchen, playing in his second stint with the Pirates at age 37, extended his hitting streak to 14 games with his homer.
Taillon pitched seven strong innings for the Cubs, but the team fell short in the late innings. Cubs manager Craig Counsell defended his decision to go with Jorge López in the eighth, as he had pitched effectively until then.
The Pirates’ Jared Jones allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings in his second start back from injury. Chicago’s Dansby Swanson and Ian Happ each contributed offensively with a homer and two RBIs, respectively, but it wasn’t enough.
The two teams will face off again on Tuesday, with Paul Skenes and Kyle Hendricks slated to start. The Cubs will be without Justin Steele, who was scratched due to elbow soreness.
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Reynolds and McCutchen lead the Pirates to victory with home runs, overcoming the Cubs 5-3
