Chicago Cubs allow 4-run 8th inning, fall to Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3
Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen homered during Pittsburgh's four-run eighth inning, and the Pirates cooled off the Chicago Cubs with a 5-3 victory on Monday night.
Chicago returned home after closing out an 8-1 trip with six consecutive victories. It was hoping to add to its push for the third NL wild card against Pittsburgh, but it blew a 3-0 lead in the opener of a three-game series.
The Pirates began the eighth with three straight hits against Jorge López (2-3). Pinch-hitter Isiah Kiner-Falefa reached on a bloop single and Nick Gonzales had an infield hit before Reynolds connected for his 22nd homer, tying it at 3 with a drive to the bleachers in left-center.
After Oneil Cruz struck out swinging, McCutchen launched his 18th homer to left-center. McCutchen also extended his hitting streak to 14 games.
Jalen Beeks (7-4) got two outs for Pittsburgh, and Dennis Santana pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.
Gonzales singled in an insurance run in the ninth as the Pirates won for just the second time in seven games and avenged a three-game sweep by the Cubs in Pittsburgh last week.
Dansby Swanson homered for Chicago, and Ian Happ drove in two runs with a triple. But the Cubs fell 3 1/2 games behind idle Atlanta for the final NL wild card.
