Happ homers, Skenes loses 3rd straight as Cubs sink Pirates
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ian Happ homered for the second consecutive game and the Chicago Cubs handed Paul Skenes his third straight loss with a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.
The win came one night after the Cubs ended a 10-game losing streak. Happ hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh inning of that game.
Happ had three hits on Thursday, including a two-run homer in the eighth that pushed the Cubs’ lead to 5-2. He has reached base safely in 41 consecutive games in Pittsburgh, the city where he grew up. Seiya Suzuki had two hits and two RBIs for Chicago.
Skenes (6-5) lost his third straight start despite striking out 10 in 5 1/3 innings. The 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner fanned six batters in a row from the first to the third.
Only one of the three runs against Skenes was earned, as third baseman Tyler Callihan and shortstop Jared Triolo made throwing errors in a two-run sixth inning that extended the Cubs’ lead to 3-0.
Colin Rea (5-3) won for the first time in five starts, allowing two runs in 5 1/3 innings. Hoby Milner, Caleb Thielbar and Trent Thornton combined for 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Bryan Reynolds homered for the Pirates.
Pittsburgh third baseman Nick Gonzales exited after the third inning with left knee discomfort.