Cubs Even Series With 5-1 Win; Young Hayes Hurt

Today's Game: The Bucs struck in the first off Jake Arrieta, with a Ke'Bryan Hayes walk and back-to-back knocks by Colin Moran and Kevin Newman plating the game's first run. Tyler Anderson had an easy frame with a walk, K and DP. Pittsburgh went quietly in the second, but not the Cubs. Javy Baez singled, stole second and third (Anderson has a big leg kick; Jake Stallings had no chance on either swipe) and scored when Shelty pulled the infield in just to watch a soft bloop drop into short right to tie it. Another single and sac fly gave Chi-Town the lead. Erik Gonzalez singled in the third, but ended the inning doubled up on a Bryan Reynolds liner to third. The Cubbies added on when Kris Bryant dropped a high fly with the wind barely over the Wrigley wall. Gregory Polanco singled off a glove in the fourth for all of the Bucco action. Anderson did a good job, overcoming a pair of Buc boots to post a zero, but the five outs ran his pitch count to 73.

Adam Frazier tripled with two gone in the fifth on a ball that was lost in the sun, but Gonzalez's hard shot to deep short was backhanded by Baez to save a run for Arrieta. A walk and dink put Cubbies on the corners with an out (everyone takes an extra base on El Coffee), but Tyler was again equal to the task with a contact play out at home and K. B-Rey singled to start the sixth but nothin' else was cookin'. Clay Holmes took over and was behind every batter (all four Cubs had three balls on them); it cost him when Jason Heyward clobbered a 3-1 fastball into the seats. Brandon Workman got the seventh inning wave and fanned a pair in a clean frame. Wil Crowe got his feet wet, giving up a run on a hit, two walks and two wild pitches with two whiffs. Michael Feliz came in to get the final out on a strikeout looking.

Fraze's three-bagger was the Pirates only XB hit - 2020 Topps

Andrew Chafin toed the slab in the eighth and served a pop up  to go with two K. 21-year-old Rule 5 pick Luis Oviedo made his MLB debut and tossed a 1-2-3 inning, getting two bouncers and a fan. Craig Kimbrel put it away, striking out the side in the ninth.

The main positive from today is that Anderson didn't look as bad as his line; he lasted 91 pitches despite being squeezed, had seven punchouts, stayed composed and was hurt in the main by a couple of drop-in hits, though both sides banged into some hard outs. The Pirates attack remains pretty punchless; they had six hits (five singles) and the Cub pitchers didn't help them today, walking just one hitter.

Notes:

• Ke'Bryan Hayes tweaked his left hand at bat, then banged it again diving into first on a pickoff try in the opening frame; he was replaced in the third by E-Gon. No word on the injury yet - the Pirates announced wrist discomfort, but both Hayes and the medicos were checking the back of his hand, so obviously TBD. Hopefully it's not a hamate...
• It took two games for Shelty to use all nine of his relievers. 
• Both sides recorded 12 K

Tomorrow's Game: RHP Mitch Keller takes on RHP Zach Davies. The game starts at 2:20 and will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan.