Chippy game ends with 7-2 Cubs win over Pirates
Photo by Joe Camporeale / USATODAY

Chippy game ends with 7-2 Cubs win over Pirates


by - Senior Editor -

The last time the Cubs and Pirates met at PNC park, the Cubs won a postseason game for the first time in 12 years with some chippy exchanges between the two teams. Fast forward to 2016 and the story remains the same. Still chippy. Still a Cubs win.

Jason Hammel won his fourth game of the year, and Anthony Rizzo hit two doubles to lead the Cubs to 7-2 win over the Pirates on Monday night. The win put the Cubs' record at a major best 18-6, and it is the best start by a Cubs team since 1907.

The Cubs got on the board in the third when Dexter Fowler scored on Anthony Rizzo's RBI double. Ben Zobrist followed that with a single to score Rizzo to give the Cubs its first lead at 2-1.

Kris Bryant scored on Ben Zobrist's sac fly in the 5th. After Gerrit Cole hit Addison Russell and walked Matt Szczur, he was lifted for a relief pitcher with the bases load and two outs. David Ross singled in two runs with a single down the line. The Pirates donated the sixth run on a botched rundown as Harrison's throw sailed over the Pirate catcher that allowed Szczur to score from third.

Zobrist scored on a wild pitch in the 7th to make it 7-2.

Andrew McCutchen got both runs for the Pirates. He homered in the first. It was his 16th career homerun versus the Cubs, his 3rd most against any team. McCutchen had a sac fly in the 5th.

Cole allowed six runs (five earned) in 4 2/3 innings, walking four batters and striking out six. Hammel allowed two runs in 5+ innings, walking one batter and striking out three. His ERA on the season is 1.24.

Things got chippy in the seventh inning after Pirates lefty Kyle Lobstein hit Zobrist with a pitch. The umpire warned both teams. Then both managers exchanged several words across the field, and several players joined in the jawing back and forth.

Arrieta (5-0, 1.00 ERA) will pitch against Pirates' lefty Jonathon Niese (3-0, 5.08 ERA) in the second game of the three-game series on Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. CT.

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