CHICAGO (AP) — Ian Happ hit a game-ending single in the 10th inning, and the Chicago Cubs edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Sunday.
The Cubs used a double steal to put runners on second and third in the 10th against David Bednar (1-5). Jon Berti struck out swinging for the first out, but Happ followed with a liner to right, delighting the crowd of 40,162 at Wrigley Field.
The NL Central leaders won three of four against the last-place Pirates. Every game was a one-run contest.
Dansby Swanson and Michael Busch each had two hits for Chicago. Swanson and Seiya Suzuki each drove in a run.
Chris Flexen (4-0) pitched a 1-2-3 10th for the win, completing a four-hitter.
Spencer Horwitz had two hits and drove in a run for the Pirates. Alexander Canario had a run-scoring groundout.
Each team scored two runs in the first. Horwitz singled in Oneil Cruz for the game’s first run, and Swanson tied it at 2 with an RBI single in the bottom half.
Colin Rea pitched six innings of four-hit ball for the Cubs. He struck out four and walked one.
Pittsburgh right-hander Mitch Keller surrendered three hits in six innings. Keller lowered his ERA to 4.08 on the season, but he is winless in his last 14 starts.
Key moment
Chicago second baseman Nico Hoerner made a diving grab of Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s low liner to end the top of the 10th and prevent automatic runner Adam Frazier from scoring.
Key stat
The Cubs improved to 12-6 in one-run games.
Up next
Pirates: LHP Bailey Falter (5-3, 3.36 ERA) faces Tigers RHP Casey Mize (6-2, 2.95 ERA) at Detroit on Tuesday.
Cubs: Following an off day, RHP Ben Brown (3-5, 5.71 ERA) takes the mound against Brewers RHP Chad Patrick (3-6, 3.25 ERA) on Tuesday at Wrigley.
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