Chicago Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki, right, celebrates with Mike Tauchman, left, and Isaac Paredes as he returns to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024.
Above: Aug 27, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki (27) hits a two-run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at PNC Park.
11:52 JST, August 28, 2024
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Seiya Suzuki and Dansby Swanson hit five-run home runs in Chicago’s fourth inning, and the Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-5 on Tuesday night to move above .500 for the first time since May 28.
Suzuki hit a tying two-run drive for his 19th home run this season, off a fastball off right-handed pitcher Jared Jones (5-7).
“The team, we’ve always played together,” said Suzuki, who had four hits in an 18-8 win Monday. “I think everybody’s playing well right now. Clubhouse, everything. Everybody’s doing well right now.”
Isaac Paredes walked and scored on Nico Hoerner’s double. After a visit to the mound, the 23-year-old Jones threw a fastball up the middle to Swanson, who hit his 12th home run a night after hitting a grand slam.
Swanson, who also walked twice, then walked to the edge of the team dugout to wish his mother Nancy, who was sitting in the front row, a happy birthday.
The Cubs (67-66) have won five of six. They are 28-18 since dropping nine games below .500 on July 3.
“We got consistent, I think,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said. “And then we played consistent-enough baseball. This is, let’s see, four straight series, like, winning the series. That’s consistency. So, that’s what we’re good at.”
In his first start off the injured list, Jones allowed five runs and five hits with four strikeouts and three walks in four innings. He was sidelined with a right lat strain.
“It’s either a learning experience or you drown yourself in sulking,” Jones said. “Sulking is not really a good option. So I’m going to watch a video and figure out what I can do better.”
Justin Steele (5-5) pitched five innings for Chicago, allowing two runs and six hits while striking out six.
“Just feeling like we enjoy coming into the clubhouse every day,” Steele said. “Everybody supports each other. We might as well keep coming and want to win games and have fun doing it.”
Ben Heller walked Swanson and Pete Crow-Armstrong with the bases loaded before giving up a two-run single to Miguel Amaya in the fifth inning.
The Pirates jumped ahead in the first. Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a leadoff single and scored on Oneil Cruz’s sacrifice fly. Bryan De La Cruz hit a two-out RBI double just inside the left-field line.
De La Cruz hit a leadoff homer in the sixth inning, his 19th of the season and first since being acquired by Miami on July 30. Oneil Cruz finished with four hits, including a two-out RBI single in the ninth.
“That’s encouraging,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said of De La Cruz. “If he stays in the middle of the field and drives the ball in the middle of the field, I think that’s the guy we got.”
