WATCH: Highlights of Cubs versus Pirates, featuring several pivotal defensive plays |
PITTSBURGH — In the finale of a four-game series between the Chicago Cubs (71-52) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (63-62) that was rather devoid of offense, the Pirates came out on top via a walk-off solo home run in the 11th inning. Homers aside, the 2-1 contest was defined by its multitude of key defensive plays.
While the Cubs, who went up 1-0 in the second inning on a solo dinger by Kyle Schwarber, were able to avoid giving up their lead until the very end by way of several pivotal defensive stops, their luck ran out in extra innings. Scoring just four runs over the course of the entire series, all of which came via solo shots, the Cubs' ultimate downfall in the split series with the Pirates was their glaring lack of plate production.
