Something I can’t remember happening in a long time or ever, a Saturday night game in Wrigleyville with Jon Lester getting the nod against Jonathon Niese. The first inning would begin with Jody Mercer sending a line drive to left field for a lead off home run to start the day off in favor of the Bucs. With one out Lester walks Andrew McCutchen who steals second before Jung Ho Park walks. With David Freese at the plate McCutchen would get caught stealing third for the second out. Lester would walk his third batter of the inning but get Matt Joyce to ground out to end the inning. Niese make his half a 1-2-3 inning as Lester would follow suit in the top of the second. Niese would give up a lead off home run to Rizzo to tie the game at 1. Zobrist would line out but Javier Baez would double for the second hit for the Cubs. Russel would strikeout and Niese would intentionally walk Ross to get to Lester who strikes out to end the second. Mercer would go 2 for 2 with a double and Harrison would ground out but McCutchen would send a ground ball to center scoring Mercer for the second run of the game for the Bucs. Lester gets out of the inning with a double play. Niese gives up a two out walk to Kris Bryant but gets out of the inning with out the Cubs being able to tie it up. Pirates 2-1.
The top of the fourth would see Lester get himself into trouble by loading the bases but gets the next two outs with K’s. He hits puts Mercer by hitting him and giving him another RBI but gets Harrison out with a K. Niese would start off the bottom half giving Zobrist a single but would be forced out at second when Baez singles, then steals second with Russel at the plate, then moves to third on a wild pitch. David Ross would sacrifice himself with a bunt to first scoring Baez. Lester would only give up a single to David Freese. Niese would not have a great bottom half giving up a solo home run to Kris Bryant tieing up the game at 3. Lester would have himself another 1-2-3 inning in the sixth. The Cubs would take the lead with David Ross’s fifth home run of the season. Cubs up 4-3.
Pedro Strop would enter the seventh grabbing a 1-2-3 inning. Jared Hughes who came in after Bryant’s home run gets into a little trouble but gets out of the inning with out any extra runs. Strop gets one out in the 8th as does Travis Wood and Hector Rondon. Pirates closer Mark Melancon gives up a walk to Ross but that would be all for the Cubs.
Top 9, Hector Rondon makes it a quick save, his 12th of the season and the Cubs league leaving 46th win. Go Cubs Go!
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