TG Fantasy Baseball

CHICAGO (AP) — Roberto Perez drove in three runs, Michael Chavis broke a tie with a home run in the fourth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 4-2 on Friday night.

The Cubs were held scoreless over the final seven innings by Pirates left-hander Jose Quintana and four relievers in a game that started nearly six hours late because of forecasted inclement weather.

The Pirates have won two consecutive games, while the Cubs dropped their fourth consecutive game.

Perez hit a two-run single in the second to snap a streak of 10 2/3 scoreless innings by Cubs left-hander Drew Smyly (1-1) to start the season. Perez led off the fifth with his first homer of the season to extend the Pirates’ lead.

“Roberto not only caught well, he did a nice job swinging the bat,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of Perez, who after going hitless in his previous 10 at-bats has three hits in his last six plate appearances.

Michael Hermosillo snapped an 0-for-12 slump to start the season by hitting a two-run double in the second to account for the Cubs’ scoring.

Two batters earlier, Quintana was struck on the left leg by a line drive by Jonathan Villar but stayed in the game. Quintana, who pitched for the Cubs from 2017-20, pitched 4 2/3 innings, striking out three, walking three and giving up three hits.

Pirates relievers have held the Cubs scoreless over 10 1/3 innings in the first two games of this four-game series. Chicago's Nick Madrigal grounded to second with the tying run at first to give Chris Stratton his second save in as many nights. Chase De Jong (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

Smyly pitched five innings, had four strikeouts, and gave up six hits, four runs and one walk.

Seiya Suzuki snapped an 0-for-10 rut with a single to start the eighth, but...