Cubs' magic number is 1 after beating Pirates 4-1

Michael Busch greeted Paul Skenes with the fourth leadoff home run of his career and the Chicago Cubs moved to the brink of their first playoff berth in five years with a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

The Cubs winnowed their magic number to one by chasing Skenes (10-10) during a rare rocky outing for the NL Cy Young Award favorite. Busch led off with his 29th homer of the season, a shot to the final row of seats above the Clemente Wall in right field, and finished with three hits as Chicago won for the sixth time in seven games.

Nico Hoerner added three hits and Carson Kelly, Dansby Swanson and Mosies Ballesteros had two apiece for the Cubs in support of starter Cade Horton (11-4), who bolstered his NL Rookie of the Year credentinals by limiting the Pirates to one run over five innings. The 24-year-old right-hander is 8-1 with a 0.92 ERA since the All-Star break.

Brad Keller worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

The NL Central rivals meet for the final time this season Wednesday when Chicago’s Matthew Boyd (13-8, 3.05 ERA) starts against Johan Oviedo (2-0, 2.81).



(AP Photo Gene J. Puskar)