Cubs 4, Pirates 1
CHICAGO -- Jon Lester struck out seven and the Chicago Cubs mustered just enough offense against Pittsburgh left-hander Gerrit Cole to extend their winning streak to six games with a 4-1 victory over the Pirates on Saturday afternoon.
Lester (4-2) looked every bit the part of the staff ace they Cubs desired when they signed him to six-year, $155 million contract in the offseason. He gave up nine hits but walked only one and had four of his strikeouts with runners in scoring position.
Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant scored two runs and went 2-for-2 with a walk. He gave Lester an early lead, singling and scoring on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Starlin Castro in the first inning.
Pirates right fielder Sean Rodriguez tied the score with a solo home run to lead off the third, but the Cubs came back in the bottom of the inning and reclaimed the lead when Bryant scored on a fielder's choice by Castro.
Cole (5-2) was sharp in his six-inning effort, holding the Cubs to two runs, seven hits and a walk while striking out eight, including all three Chicago batters in the fourth.
It was the first road loss for Cole since Sept. 1.
The Cubs added insurance runs in the seventh. Second baseman Addison Russell scored on right-hander Arquimedes Caminero's wild pitch and first baseman Anthony Rizzo made it 4-1 with a sacrifice fly to center.
Pittsburgh threatened in the eighth, putting two on with nobody out against right-hander Brian Schlitter, but left-hander Phil Coke and right-hander Jason Motte left both runners stranded. Left-hander Travis Wood worked a scoreless ninth for his first save.
NOTES: Chicago recalled RHP Brian Schlitter on Saturday from Triple-A Iowa, where he had no record and two saves in six innings. Schlitter was with the Cubs from April 10 to April 26 and went 0-2 with a 9.53 ERA in seven appearances. To make room for Schlitter on the roster, Chicago optioned OF Matt Szczur to Iowa. Szczur batted .262 (11-for-42) with two home runs, a triple and seven RBIs in seven games for the Cubs. ... Pittsburgh selected the contract of RHP Wilfredo Boscan and optioned IF/OF Steve Lombardozzi to Triple-A Indianapolis before the game Saturday. To make room for Boscan on the 40-man roster, the Pirates transferred RHP Brandon Cumpton from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. ... Chicago brought a five-game winning streak into the game, the Cubs' longest streak since winning streak since winning five in a row in June 2014. ... Five of Pittsburgh's last six road losses have come by one run.