Pirates Offense Squanders Chances in 3-2 Loss to Cubs
The Pittsburgh Pirates had their chances, but ultimately squandered them in a painful 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park Friday night.The Pirates had the bases loaded and nobody out and couldnt score, then had runners on first and third and couldnt score.As a result, the game got to the tenth, where a single by Dansby Swanson and a bases-loaded walk by Seiya Suzuki made it 3-1 Cubbies.With the game scoreless in the third, the Pirates got their first scoring chance.With runners on first and second and two outs, Nick Gonzales lined a ball up the middle.Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner had no play to get Gonzales at first, but fortunately for him, Henry Davis overran the bag at third, and Hoerner was able to throw him out for a rare inning-ending 5-4 putout.The Pirates finally struck in the fifth.Marcell Ozuna and Brandon Lowe walked to start the inning, and a bunt single by Jared Triolo loaded the bases with nobody out.That set the stage for Henry Davis, who reached on an infield single to score the games first run and put the Pirates ahead.With the bases still loaded, still no outs and the top of the order coming up, it looked like the Pirates could be poised for a big inning, or, at the very least, tack on another run.It didnt happen.Jack Magnum hit a shallow flyout to left field, Nick Gonzales did the same to right and the Cubs escaped with minimal damage.The Cubs tied it in the sixth on a solo home run by Pete Crow-Armstrong, then threatened to take the lead in the seventh.But reliever Wilber Dotel struck out Pedro Ramirez, then got Carson Kelly to ground out and strand runners at the corners to keep the game tied.The Bucs had a golden chance to take the lead in the bottom of the seventh when they put runners at the corners with one out.But Nick Gonzales flyout turned into a double play when Pittsburghs own Ian Happ nailed Henry Davis at the plate.Dotel gave way to Mason Montgomery in the top of the eighth, who promptly struck out the side in order.The Pirates didnt score in the eighth, then Gregory Soto shut the Cubs down to send it to the bottom of the ninth tied at 1.Then, Chicago took advantage, and a meaningless run by the Pirates in the tenth wasnt enough.The teams will meet again Saturday night at PNC Park. 1st pitch is scheduled for 6:40.The post Pirates Offense Squanders Chances in 3-2 Loss to Cubs appeared first on Pittsburgh Baseball Now.