Ian Happ drove in five runs and ignited a six-run seventh inning with a three-run home run that eventually helped the Chicago Cubs snap a 10-game losing streak with a 10-4 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.
The Cubs last scored 10 runs in a game in their prior win May 15 before the losing streak began. The skid was the longest active losing streak in the majors and the longest for the Cubs since June 4-16, 2022. Chicago won for only the third time in its past 17 games.
Happ finished with two hits, marking his first multi-hit game since May 15 after he entered the game mired in a 2-for-31 slump.
Happ’s 11th home run of the season off Pittsburgh reliever Yohan Ramirez (2-2) helped the Cubs break a 4-4 tie on the way to snapping the Pirates’ three-game winning streak.
Seiya Suzuki followed Happ’s homer with a single, then Michael Conforto belted his fourth homer of the season off Justin Lawrence to add two more runs. Michael Busch capped the frame with an RBI single.
The Cubs opened the game with two runs in the first on a two-run single by Happ and another in the second on an RBI single by Nico Hoerner. Pirates starter Bubba Chandler allowed four runs on eight hits, walked two and struck out five over five innings.
The Pirates tied the game in the bottom of the third when Brandon Lowe smacked his 14th home run of the season off Cubs starter Jameson Taillon.
Chicago took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth on back-to-back doubles by Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow-Armstrong before the Pirates tied it again on rookie Konnor Griffin’s fourth home run in the bottom of the inning.
Taillon, who allowed four runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four against the team that drafted him, combined with relievers Jacob Webb (1-1), Phil Maton, Caleb Thielbar and Ethan Roberts to keep the Pirates scoreless over the final five innings.
Hoerner finished with two hits and an RBI while Swanson, Carson Kelly and Alex Bregman each had two hits for the Cubs, who totaled 14 overall.
Bryan Reynolds had three hits, including a double, for Pittsburgh.
–Field Level Media
