Freese drives in two as Pirates hold off Cubs
CHICAGO -- David Freese went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Francisco Cervelli doubled in two more as the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped a six-game Wrigley Field losing streak with a 4-2 victory in Friday's opener of a three-game weekend series.
Pirates starter Gerrit Cole (1-1) worked six innings in his third start and gave up just two runs on six hits while walking one and striking out five. Chicago right-hander Kyle Hendricks (1-1) took the loss for the Cubs (6-4).
The Pirates (4-6) last beat the Cubs in Chicago on May 15, 2016, a 2-1 victory as Cole also earned that win.
Pittsburgh grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning as Gregory Polanco walked to open the frame, stole second and scored when Freese followed with a double to deep right.
The Cubs evened the score when Kris Bryant doubled to lead off the fourth and came home on Ben Zobrist's one-out single to left on Cole's first pitch.
Kyle Schwarber broke the tie with an RBI single to right to score Javier Baez from second with one out in the fifth after Baez reached on a double into the left field corner.
But Hendricks gave up back-to-back singles to open the sixth and left in favor of reliever Justin Grimm with runners on first and third.
Freese greeted Grimm with a bouncing single to right to score Andrew McCutchen from third while Polanco, sprinting from first on the pitch, made it all the way to third. Cervelli's double to right-center plated Polanco and Freese for a 4-2 lead.
Hendricks was responsible for the two runners who scored and ended up allowing three runs on six hits while walking two and striking out three through five-plus innings.
Cole was lifted for a pinch hitter to open the seventh inning and replaced by left-handed reliever Wade LeBlanc, who worked a one-two-three seventh.
The Cubs loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth and ninth but came up empty in both. Pirates reliever Tony Watson earned his third save with his scoreless ninth.
NOTES -- After playing in the nation's oldest ballpark on Wednesday (Boston's Fenway Park) the Pirates now play three games in the second-oldest (Wrigley Field). Only three other teams have ever played back-to-back games in the historic venues (Braves in 2016, Brewers in 2011 and Phillies in 1998). ... Since the start of the 2010 season, OF Andrew McCutchen leads all big league outfielders in hits with 1,184, including a base hit on Friday. He also slugged his 176th career homer this week, tying him with Barry Bonds for fourth on the team's all-time list. ... The Pirates send RHP Tyler Glasnow (0-1, 27.00 ERA) against Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (2-0, 2.08 ERA) in Saturday's middle game. ... Chicago placed RHP Carl Edwards Jr. on the bereavement list on Friday and activated LHP Brian Duensing from the 10-day disabled list (lower back tightness). ... OF Jason Heyward may be resolving hitting woes that resulted in a .230 average last year. So far this season, he's batting a team-leading .294 after going 1-for-3 on Friday.