PITTSBURGH — Albert Almora Jr. hit a 2-run homer, Ian Happ had 3 hits and the Cubs rolled to an 8-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night. The Cubs had 13 hits, including 8 for extra bases, as the offense broke out after totaling 4 runs in the first three games of the series.
Happ singled and scored in the first, and Javier Baez hit a leadoff double in the second and came home on Rene Rivera’s sacrifice bunt. Jason Heyward singled and was driven in by pitcher Jon Lester’s double in the fourth. Baez and Heyward then drove in Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist with back-to-back singles in the fifth.
Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (7-6) lasted just 4? innings while giving up 6 runs and 11 hits. Taillon struck out three.
Lester (10-7) worked around traffic in his first 4 innings but settled down to go 6 innings with 1 run and 5 hits allowed. He struck out five and walked four.
Almora’s 2-run shot scored Rizzo and came off reliever Angel Sanchez.
Happ also threw out a runner at home from center field. The rookie charged in on Taillon’s grounder and cut down Jordy Mercer to end the second inning.
Rookies Josh Bell and Jordan Luplow each had RBI for the Pirates, who had eight hits but left 11 men on base.
The start of the game was delayed 52 minutes by rain and was played through scattered showers throughout.
The teams split the four-game series in Pittsburgh, with NL Central-leading taking the overall season series, 10-9.
Cubs catcher Willson Contreras made his first rehab appearance since straining his right hamstring. He went 0-for-2 with a strikeout and caught 2 innings with Class A Myrtle Beach.
Pirates right-hander George Kontos (strained right groin) was activated from the 10-day disabled list. The team expects to activate outfielder Gregory Polanco (left-hamstring strain) and infielder-outfielder Adam Frazier (right- hamstring strain) today.
UP NEXT
Cubs: John Lackey (11-10, 4.74 ERA) will begin a three-game series with Milwaukee. He’s 6-1 with a 3.83 ERA since the All-Star break.
Pirates: Trevor Williams (6-7, 4.14) starts a series in St. Louis. In his last three starts, he’s given up just two runs.
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