Anderson solid, Pirates hold on, end Cubs' 5-game win streak

CHICAGO - Tyler Anderson pitched eight solid innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates held on in the ninth, beating the Cubs 6-5 Sunday and ending Chicago’s five-game winning streak.

Wilmer Difo had three hits and drove in three runs as the Pirates won for just the third time in their last 20 games at Wrigley Field.

"It was nice to see our lineup up and down contribute," manager Derek Shelton said.

Held to two runs and four hits by Anderson (3-3), the Cubs made it close in the ninth.

Reliever Kyle Crick hit Anthony Rizzo with a pitch and walked Kris Bryant before getting David Bote on a flyout. Richard Rodríguez took over and gave up an RBI single to Joc Pederson singled with two outs that made it 6-3.

Ildemaro Vargas hit a two-run double, but Rodriguez retired pinch-hitter Javier Báez on a grounder to end it for his sixth save.

Kyle Hendricks (2-4) allowed six runs — four earned — and nine hits in five innings.

Todd Frazier and Kevin Newman had two hits apiece for the Pirates, who scored their highest run total in nine games.

Anderson struck out six and walked one to beat the Cubs for the first time in three starts this season. He retired his final 13 batters.

"You have to be really disciplined against him," Rizzo said. "He had his good stuff."

Pederson had three hits for the Cubs, who were trying for their first undefeated homestand of at least six games since August 2015, when they beat San Francisco in four games and Milwaukee in three.

The Pirates scored four times in the first. Jacob Stallings had an RBI grounder with the bases loaded, Difo hit a two-run single off Hendricks and Vargas made a throwing error from shortstop.

Difo added an RBI triple and another run scored on third baseman Matt Duffy’s error for a 6-1 lead in the third. Hendricks threw a seven-inning complete game win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday in his last start.

"I thought Kyle actually did a really nice job," manager David Ross said. "A ton of soft contact falling in. It felt like the groundballs were where we weren’t. Didn’t play our cleanest defense behind him. Wind blowing in, it’s a tricky positioning thing."

JUST IN TIME

Outfielder Troy Stokes Jr. made his major league debut after the Pirates placed him on the major league roster before the game. He went 0 for 4 and made a sliding catch in right field.

Stokes said his parents flew in from Baltimore in time to see the final three or four innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: INF Colin Moran (left groin strain) went on the 10-day injured list after he exited Saturday’s game against the Cubs in the first. He was injured after he caught a liner and dived to first base trying to complete a double play. … OF Bryan Reynolds (lower body soreness) was out for rest.

Cubs: OF Jake Marisnick (right hamstring strain) exited Sunday’s game in the first inning after he was injured attempting to field a single. …OF Jason Heyward was replaced with a pinch hitter in the ninth. Ross said Heyward’s right hand is being evaluated. … SS Báez (stiff back) was out of the starting lineup for rest after he left Saturday’s game after the seventh inning. He pinch hit in the ninth. … RHP Jake Arrieta (right thumb) is expected to be ready for next weekend’s series at Detroit, Ross said. Arrieta threw a bullpen Saturday and will throw another this week in Cleveland.

UP NEXT

Pirates: RHP Mitch Keller (2-3, 6.29 ERA) is scheduled to start Monday to open a three-game home series against Cincinnati and RHP Tyler Mahle (1-1, 3.23).

Cubs: RHP Adbert Alzolay (1‐2, 4.50) is expected to start Tuesday at Cleveland to begin a two-game series after Monday’s off day. RHP Shane Bieber (3‐2, 2.98) will pitch for the Indians.