Bryan Reynolds hit a tying three-run home run in the eighth inning and Andrew McCutchen hit the go-ahead shot two batters later as the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for a 5-3 victory over the host Chicago Cubs on Monday night.
Pittsburgh had just three hits in seven innings against Chicago’s Jameson Taillon before the Cubs went to the bullpen and the Pirates prospered with four hits in the eighth, including the two big homers.
The comeback victory was huge for Pittsburgh after it allowed 41 runs while being swept at home in a three-game set by the Cubs last week.
The win was just the eighth in the past 27 games for the Pirates.
The setback was only the second in the last 11 contests for the Cubs, who had a season-high six-game winning streak halted. Chicago dropped to 3 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves for the National League’s third wild-card spot.
Tallion (three strikeouts, one walk) was pulled after just 89 pitches and replaced by Jorge Lopez (2-3) to start the eighth. Chicago’s lead then quickly evaporated.
Pinch hitter Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled and Nick Gonzales reached on an infield single to start the inning for the Pirates. Reynolds then took a 1-1 fastball the other way over the fence in left center to knot the score. It was Reynolds’ 22nd homer of the season.
One out later, McCutchen drilled a 1-1 sinker from Lopez over the fence in left center to give Pittsburgh a 4-3 edge. McCutchen’s 18th blast also extended his hitting streak to 14 starts.
Gonzales added an RBI single in the ninth to give the Pirates insurance.
Dennis Santana worked a perfect ninth inning for his third save of the season and the first as a member of the Pirates.
Pittsburgh rookie Jared Jones gave up three runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Jalen Beeks (7-4) recorded the final two outs of the seventh and Aroldis Chapman worked a scoreless eighth.
The Cubs took the early lead in the third inning when Dansby Swanson’s leadoff drive barely cleared the wall in left for his 13th homer of the season.
In the fifth, Swanson singled with one out and Pete Crow-Armstrong was hit by a pitch. One out later, Ian Happ laced a two-run triple to right to give Chicago a 3-0 lead.