Pirates 4, Cubs 0
CHICAGO -- Jordy Mercer's three-run homer in the fifth inning gave the Pittsburgh Pirates all the runs they needed in a 4-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday in a potential National League wild-card playoff game preview.
Mercer's fifth-inning home run came off Cubs right-handed starter Jason Hammel, who didn't make out of the inning and took the loss.
The win was the second straight over the Cubs and eighth in a row for Pittsburgh (95-60). Chicago (89-65) fell for the third straight game.
The Cubs clinched the second wild-card spot late Friday night as the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants, the last surviving wild-card contender, lost 5-4 to the Oakland Athletics.
The Pirates already hold the top wild-card position and also remain in contention for the NL Central title as they chase the St. Louis Cardinals.
Pittsburgh left-handed starter Francisco Liriano (12-7) departed after 7 2/3 inning with runners on first and second. Left handed reliever Antonio Bastardo got first baseman Anthony Rizzo on an inning-ending fly to center.
Liriano allowed four hits, walked three and struck out nine.
Hammel (9-7) officially worked four-plus innings and gave up three runs on seven hits while striking out two as the Cubs went on to use seven pitchers on the afternoon.
Each team had runners in scoring position through four scoreless innings.
Mercer finally broke the shutout with his three-run homer with none out in the fifth. The shot, his third of the season, came on a 1-0 pitch and landed in the left field bleachers while bringing home catcher Francisco Cervelli and first baseman Pedro Alvarez.
Hammel gave up five straight hits -- including two more after Mercer's homer -- and departed in favor of right-handed reliever Justin Grimm.
Grimm got one out and walked center fielder Andrew McCutchen to load the bases before he was replaced by right-hander Trevor Cahill who struck out second baseman Neil Walker to end the inning.
First baseman Sean Rodriguez singled home Cervelli with an insurance run with one out in the eighth as the Pirates made it 4-0.
NOTES: With the National League wild-card field tentatively set, the remaining question is where the game will be. Pittsburgh has a 5 1/2-game lead over Chicago and would host. There are a dwindling number of games to play as the Pirates have seven and the Cubs have six. ... Pittsburgh was three games out of first place in the NL Central going into Saturday's games and also has a chance to potentially catch the Cardinals for the division title. ... The Pirates are 35 games above .500 for the first time since the 1991 team went 98-64. ... The Pirates send RHP A.J. Burnett (9-5, 3.15 ERA) against Cubs Cy Young candidate Jake Arrieta (20-6, 1.88) in Sunday night's series finale. ... The Cubs celebrated their overnight playoff clincher with a pregame bow in front of cheering fans while the video board featured season highlights. ... The postseason appearance will be the fifth for Cubs manager Joe Maddon, having taken the Tampa Bay Rays to the playoffs in 2008, '10, '11 and '13. Lou Piniella was the last manager to take the Cubs to the postseason in 2007. ... No matter the outcome of weekend games, Chicago still has the season edge over Pittsburgh, with a 10-8 overall lead.