SouthernWorldwide.com – Henry Davis emerged as the hero for the Pittsburgh Pirates, delivering a crucial go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning that propelled his team to a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs. This win extended the Cubs’ losing streak to a dismal nine consecutive games.
Davis connected with a 91 mph cutter thrown by Cubs reliever Trent Thornton, sending the ball soaring well beyond the right-field fence. This marked Davis’s fourth home run of the current season, a pivotal moment in a tightly contested game.
The Pirates’ bullpen then stepped up to preserve the narrow lead. Wilber Dotel pitched three scoreless innings in relief, earning him the win (1-0). Gregory Soto closed out the game with a perfect ninth inning, securing his sixth save of the season. This victory marks the third time this season the Pirates have defeated the Cubs in their four encounters.
For the Pirates, Brandon Lowe contributed offensively with two hits, including a key RBI double. Spencer Horwitz also had a productive game with a pair of hits and showcased his defensive prowess at first base, particularly against Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong. Horwitz made several impressive plays, including snatching line drives and executing a brilliant diving grab on a sharp grounder, before tossing to Dotel covering first to prevent a hit.
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The Chicago Cubs’ struggles continued as Michael Busch hit his sixth homer of the season, but it proved insufficient to break their slump, which is now nearing three weeks. The Cubs’ nine-game skid is their longest since a 10-game slide in 2022. This recent stretch has seen them lose 13 out of their last 15 games, placing them in the middle of the highly competitive NL Central division. Notably, all five teams in the division started Memorial Day with a winning record.
Cubs starting pitcher Ben Brown delivered a solid performance, allowing only one run and four hits over six innings. He also issued two walks and recorded seven strikeouts, managing to lower his earned run average to 2.01.
Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski, who is actively competing to maintain his spot in the rotation as Jared Jones approaches his return from elbow surgery, gave up one run over five innings. He walked three batters and struck out three.
The series is set to continue on Tuesday, with Braxton Ashcraft scheduled to start for the Pirates. Ashcraft currently holds a 3-2 record with a 2.89 ERA.
Reporting by the Associated Press.
