Pirates Hold Off Cubs, 4-3
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Gregory Polanco hit his first home run of the season and Vance Worley got through 5 2-3 shaky innings for his second straight win as the Pittsburgh Pirates held off the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Wednesday night.
Polanco's leadoff home run in the bottom of the fifth inning off Jason Hammel increased the Pirates' lead to 4-1. It came after Polanco made a fine running catch of a fly ball hit by rookie star Kris Bryant with the bases loaded to end the top of the inning.
Polanco also doubled as he finished with two hits.
Worley (2-1) allowed an unearned run on six hits and five walks. He also struck five in a 106-pitch outing. Tony Watson got the final six outs for his first save of the season and fifth of his five-year career.
Hammel (1-1) gave up four runs — three earned — and six hits in five innings with five walks and no strikeouts.
Anthony Rizzo had two of the Cubs' 10 hits.
The Cubs scored twice in the eight to cut the deficit to 4-3 as Miguel Montero singled in a run against Jared Hughes and Chris Coghlan drove in the other with a fielder's choice grounder.
Francisco Cervelli hit an RBI double and Jung Ho Kang followed with a sacrifice fly in the second inning to open the scoring for the Pirates and Pedro Alvarez made it 3-0 with a sacrifice fly in the third.
Bryant doubled in the fourth inning and scored the Cubs' first run on Starlin Castro's grounder.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (left groin strain) made his first rehab start for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, allowing two runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings with four walks and five strikeouts against New Orleans. ... RHP Justin Grimm (right forearm inflammation) threw his second bullpen session at the extended spring training camp in Mesa, Ariz.
Pirates: SS Jordy Mercer (bruised chest) missed his third straight game and is considered day-to-day. ... RHP Charlie Morton (right hip surgery) will make his second extended spring training start Thursday at Bradenton, Fla.
OUTFIELDERS EXIT
Cubs CF Dexter Fowler left the game after the second inning because of tightness in his groin. He led off the game with a single and stole second base in his lone plate appearance. ... In the fifth inning, Pirates LF Starling Marte exited with a soft tissue contusion in his right hand. He was hit by a pitch in the third inning from Hammel.
MELANCON'S THE MAN
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said that Mark Melancon will remain in the closer's role despite having an 8.63 ERA through his first seven appearances. Melancon suffered his first blown save of the season in three attempts Tuesday night when the Cubs scored three runs in the ninth inning to rally for a 9-8 victory. Watson got the save Wednesday because Melancon was unavailable after throwing 25 pitches the previous night.
UP NEXT
Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-0 6.10) faces Pittsburgh for the first time.
Pirates: LHP Jeff Locke (2-0, 1.93) is 1-1 with a 3.81 ERA against the Cubs in five career starts.
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