Swept Away: Cubs Complete Sweep of Pirates with 4-2 Win

The Cubs swept three games from the Pirates at PNC Park with a lot of help from

The Pittsburgh Pirates have disappeared.  The team that generated so much excitement, the team that captured the hope of just what might be this October, lost again to the Chicago Cubs.

This time it was a frustrating 4-2 defeat as they left the bases loaded in the ninth inning.   Brock Holt and Starling Marte set the table.  Holt ripped a single to left field and Marte refused to chase any junk from Cubs closer Carlos Marmol.

But Andrew McCutchen popped out to shallow right, Gaby Sanchez whiffed, and Pedro Alvarez flew out to the left field warrning track.  Sweep city.

The Cubs came into the series playing very poorly, losers of six straight.  It wasn’t evident in their play as they racked up over thirty hits in the three game series.

Who knew all the Cubs needed was a trip to Pittsburgh to face a team fighting for it’s wild card life?

But here we are Buccos fans.  The wild card is slipping away.

The Pirates were swept away by the Chicago Cubs.  The team hit one homerun, a solo shot by Andrew McCutchen to stake his team to a 1-0 lead.  It was the only homer by the Pirates in a two wins and four loss homestand.

The homerun was the Pirates friend when they were hot, over the past thirty-one games in which the team has just won ten, the long ball has vanished.

Jeff Locke went six innings and gave up seven hits, but the long ball hurt him again.

"“Jeff pitched a very professional outing.”  Clint Hurdle"

The Cubs lived by the long ball much like the Bucs had earlier in the season.  While the Pirates resorted to bunts to “get something going, which is always a good idea,” said Hurdle in the postgame.

The Pirates scored their second run after Brock Holt ripped a lead off double in the seventh that the Cubs right fielder played into a triple.  The offense did nothing, but Holt was awarded home courtesy of a balk off James Russell.  It was the last run the Pirates would score in the inning.

With the game now tied at two, Jason Grilli  commenced the meltdown with an awful eighth inning.  Grilli gave up a customary hit and then put his first pitch on the tee for Alfonso Soriano who crushed it to centerfield for the go ahead bomb.

The Pirates now travel to Cincy.

In the postgame, Clint Hurdle said the Pirates need to put a foot down.  He added that the team needs to play better.
Maybe the Pirates will reappear as they face the Reds who seemed to start the slide for the Bucs.