Cubs Lose 4th Straight As Pirates Beat Chicago 4-2
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Andrew McCutchen had three hits and two RBIs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates past the Chicago Cubs 4-2 on Thursday for their fourth straight win.
Leadoff hitter Starling Marte singled and scored in each of the first two innings as Pittsburgh built an early 4-0 lead. The Pirates moved a season-best 11 games over .500 with its 11th victory in 13 games.
The Cubs lost their fourth in a row.
Edwin Jackson (1-7) gave up two runs in the first inning and two more in the second. He lasted only three innings and has a 6.11 ERA through 10 starts.
Jackson is in his first season with the Cubs after signing a four-year, $52 million contract over the winter as a free agent.
Reliever Vin Mazzaro (3-0) pitched 2 1-3 scoreless innings. He replaced starter Jeanmar Gomez in the fourth inning following a rain delay of 1 hour, 47 minutes.
Gomez allowed one run and three hits in 3 2-3 innings.
Jason Grilli pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning and is a perfect 19-for-19 in save opportunities.
Marte led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, stole second with one out and scored on McCutchen's single. McCutchen stole second and scored on Michael McKenry's single.
Marte singled in the second and scored on Travis Snider's triple that rolled to the 410-foot notch in left-center field. McCutchen added his second RBI single.
The Cubs got a run in the fourth when David DeJesus led off with a double and scored on Anthony Rizzo's grounder. The Cubs had runners on the corners when two outs when play was halted, but Mazzaro got Welington Castillo to hit an inning-ending groundout after the delay.
Chicago cut the deficit to 4-2 in the seventh with Darwin Barney singling in Castillo, who had walked.
NOTES: The Pirates will wear Penguins sweaters while traveling during their road trip to Milwaukee and Detroit that begins Friday. The Penguins are currently facing Ottawa in the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Penguins sent Pirates manager Clint Hurdle a custom-made No. 13 jersey and utility player Brandon Inge arrived in the clubhouse on Thursday morning in a full hockey uniform, including rollerblades. ... The Cubs' road trip continues Friday night at Cincinnati with RHP Scott Feldman (4-3, 2.19) facing Reds RHP Bronson Arroyo (4-4, 3.28). ... RHP A.J. Burnett (3-4, 2.57) is scheduled to start for Pittsburgh at Milwaukee against RHP Marco Estrada (3-2, 5.44).
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