Pirates 5, Cubs 0
Francisco Liriano struck out nine over six innings and Jordy Mercer homered and drove in two runs as Pittsburgh beat host Chicago for the second straight game.
Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-5 with an RBI for the Pirates, who also beat the Cubs 5-3 in 11 innings earlier in the day in the conclusion of a game that was suspended Friday. Liriano (4-10) limited the Cubs to three hits and two walks, and two relievers bridged the gap to Brandon Cumpton, who worked around a pair of hits in the ninth as Pittsburgh moved within a half-game of Milwaukee and Atlanta for the second wild card in the National League.
Mike Olt doubled for the only extra-base hit for the Cubs, who managed just six hits. Chicago left-hander Felix Doubront (3-5) was tagged with the loss, allowing two runs and five hits over five innings.
The Pirates jumped on Doubront early, as Starling Marte led off the game with a single, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Mercer's single. Gaby Sanchez's groundout in the third brought home another run for a 2-0 lead.
McCutchen singled home Chase d'Arnaud in the seventh, and the Pirates tacked on another insurance run an inning later on Chris Stewart's run-scoring single. Mercer made it a 5-0 cushion in the ninth, cranking an 0-2 fastball from Arodys Vizcaino out to left-center for his 10th homer.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Pirates have allowed three or fewer runs in 12 of their last 15 games. … Pirates 3B Josh Harrison did not play after rolling his left ankle in the 11th inning of the conclusion of Friday's game. … Vizcaino made his Chicago debut in his first major-league appearance since 2011.