Christian Bethancourt drove in seven runs, including a go-ahead two-run single in the ninth, as the Chicago Cubs rallied past the Pittsburgh Pirates 14-10 on Wednesday to sweep a three-game series.
The Cubs trailed by seven through six innings before taking advantage of another shaky performance by Pittsburgh's bullpen.
Bethancourt hit a two-run homer in the seventh to start Chicago's surge. The catcher added a two-run double in the eighth and laced a sharp bases-loaded single to left against Pirates closer David Bednar (3-7) to complete the comeback.
“(RBIs are) a big part of the game,” said Bethancourt, who is hitting .423 with three homers and 15 RBIs in 11 games with Chicago. “And you get as many as I did today, that’s an unbelievable day. That’s probably a day I will not forget.”
Pete Crow-Armstrong had a career-high four hits to boost his batting average over his last 21 games to .341 (26 of 76). Ian Happ chipped in three hits for the Cubs, who scored 41 runs across three games at PNC Park to improve to 17-8 over their last 25 games to move two games above .500 (68-66) for the first time since May 25 and stay on the fringe of contention for a wild-card playoff spot.
“We're playing really good baseball,” Happ said. “The offense is doing its job. We've strung together some good offensive performances. Got to continue to do that.”
Porter Hodge (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings to become the unlikely winner.
Chicago's rally spoiled a solid if not spectacular start by Pirates rookie Paul Skenes. The 22-year-old gave up three runs, two earned, over the first two innings but settled down to retire 11 of the final 13 batters he faced.
Skenes' ERA ticked up to 2.23 after he was removed following 82 pitches with the Pirates seemingly comfortably in front. The team has been giving Skenes an extra day or two of rest in between starts, and his velocity has ticked down — by his standards — of late. None of Skenes’ fastballs reached triple digits, though he hit 99 mph frequently.
Yet none of that mattered late in the game as the bullpen gave it away, leading Skenes' girlfriend, gymnast/influencer Livvy Dunne, to share a GIF of Skenes on X afterward that offered an unsubtle tweak at Pittsburgh's current plight.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton fumed after the collapse, admitting "I don’t know if I’ve been as (angry) as I am right now.”
Bryan Reynolds and Connor Joe both homered and finished with three hits for Pittsburgh. Rowdy Tellez also had three hits for the Pirates.
Oneil Cruz singled and doubled while making his first career start in center field.
The 6-foot-7 Cruz easily handled a fly ball in the sixth but was charged with a questionable throwing error when he unleashed a 103.3 mph throw home on a single by Crow-Armstrong. The ball bounced in front of catcher Yasmani Grandal, who couldn't snag it and rolled to the backstop, allowing Crow-Armstrong to move up a base.
“I felt good,” Cruz said. “Not like playing shortstop, but I felt pretty good.”
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: RHP Ben Brown (neck strain) is unlikely to return this season. Brown, who has been out since June 11, has been rehabbing in Arizona but has not restarted a pitching program. ... RHP Ethan Roberts exited with ankle soreness after pitching 1 1/3 innings of relief.
Pirates: DH Andrew McCutchen (knee) has resumed all baseball activities and could return this weekend. McCutchen was eligible to come off the injured list on Tuesday. ... 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes has had multiple doctors look at his lower back, with no definitive diagnosis. The Gold Glove winner is doing light rehab but no baseball work. ... Grandal and Tellez were both removed late because of the heat. The game-time temperature was 90 degrees.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Start a three-game set against the Nationals on Friday.
Pirates: Are off Thursday, then head to Cleveland to begin a three-game interleague series with the skidding Guardians on Friday.
Chicago Cubs' Christian Bethancourt celebrates his RBI single during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
