Another Tepid Outing For Jake Arrieta, Pirates Beat Cubs 8-4
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Andrew McCutchen had three hits, including an RBI single during a decisive four-run seventh inning, as the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for a rare victory over the Chicago Cubs and Jake Arrieta, 8-4, on Friday night.
John Jaso's RBI single tied the score at 4-4 and chased Arrieta (12-4), who had beaten the Pirates in all three previous starts this season and entered with a 9-1 career record against them. The Cubs had also won eight of the first nine meetings with Pittsburgh this year.
Josh Bell, who had hit a pinch-hit single in his first major league at bat, then scored the go-ahead run from second base when first baseman Anthony Rizzo fielded Gregory Polanco's ground ball and threw wildly to reliever Travis Wood, who was covering first base, for an error.
McCutchen followed with his RBI single and Starling Marte drove in the inning's final run with a grounder. McCutchen, who finished in the top five of the NL MVP voting each of the past four seasons, raised his batting average to .244, still a career low.
Arrieta gave up six runs and nine hits in six-plus innings while striking out six and walking one in losing for the third time in his last four outings.
The Pirates won for the eighth time in nine games to pull to 7 1/2 games behind the NL Central-leading Cubs, the closest they have been since June 1. Chicago has lost eight of nine.
Rizzo's solo home run, his 21st, off Neftali Feliz (3-0) gave the Cubs a short-lived 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning. Miguel Montero's fifth homer, a two-run blast in the sixth off Juan Nicasio, pulled Chicago into a tie.
Mark Melancon, the sixth Pittsburgh pitcher, got the final out for his 27th save in 28 opportunities.
David Freese had a solo home run, his 10th, off Arrieta and Sean Rodriguez added a two-run shot in the second inning, his eighth, as the Pirates took a 3-0 lead.
Jason Heyward tripled and scored the Cubs' first run in the fourth on a grounder by Javier Baez.
Pirates starter Francisco Liriano went five-plus innings and allowing two runs and three hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
The Pirates scored the game's final run in the eighth inning on Trevor Cahill's wild pitch.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: CF Dexter Fowler (strained right hamstring) began a two-game rehab assignment Friday night at Class-A South Bend, going 0 for 2 with two walks. The Cubs will determine Saturday night whether he will be able to play in the All-Star Game on Tuesday at San Diego after he was voted to the NL starting lineup by the fans.
UP NEXT
Cubs: LHP Jon Lester (9-4, 2.67 ERA) will start Saturday night. He is coming off his shortest career start as he lasted just 1 1/3 innings Sunday in a loss to the New York Mets, allowing eight runs and nine hits.
Pirates: RHP Chad Kuhl (1-0, 4.09) will make his third career start.
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