Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Chicago Cubs’ Dansby Swanson (7) is greeted by Nicky Lopez (12) as he heads to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Chicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Chicago Cubs’ Kyle Tucker (30) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds (10) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Chicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea, left, during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds celebrates as he crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run off Chicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds (10) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Chicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Chicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Cubs take Paul Skenes deep 3 times, Suzuki homers twice in all as Chicago pulls away for 8-3 win
PITTSBURGH (AP) 鈥 Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki all took Pirates ace Paul Skenes deep in the fifth inning as the Cubs pulled away for an 8-3 victory on Thursday.
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
PITTSBURGH (AP) 鈥 Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki all took Pirates ace Paul Skenes deep in the fifth inning as the Cubs pulled away for an 8-3 victory on Thursday.
Suzuki later added a two-run shot off reliever Kyle Nicolas as Chicago took two of three from the last-place Pirates.
Skenes (3-3), fresh off a masterful performance in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers last Friday, labored through his shortest start of the season.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
The 22-year-old reigning National League Rookie of the Year lasted just five innings. His four walks matched his total on the season coming in and the aggressive Cubs pounced in the fifth to turn a two-run deficit into a 3-2 lead.
Swanson led off the fifth with his sixth homer. Tucker added his eighth two batters later and Suzuki put Chicago in front to stay with a shot to the left-field bleachers. Ian Happ, a Pittsburgh native, had three hits. Swanson, Suzuki and Michael Busch had two hits apiece for the Cubs.
Colin Rea (2-0) allowed two runs in a season-high six innings for Chicago.
Bryan Reynolds hit his ninth home run for Pittsburgh. The Pirates have dropped four of five.
Fallen fan aftermath
A crowd of 13,633 turned out for the matinee, including some in the same front-row seats in right field above the 21-foot high Clemente Wall on Wednesday night. The unidentified male was in critical condition at Allegheny General Hospital on Thursday after what Pittsburgh Police described as an accident.
The public address announcer read a statement from Pirates owner Bob Nutting before the first pitch in which Nutting called the incident 鈥渙ne of the most difficult moments many of us have ever experienced.鈥
Key moment
Skenes walked the bases loaded in the third, but escaped major damage by inducing a double play to get out of it.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Key stat
1 鈥 the number of home runs Skenes had allowed in his first six starts.
Up next
Cubs: visit NL Central rival Milwaukee this weekend. Ben Brown (2-2, 6.04 ERA) starts against the Brewers’ Quinn Priester (1-0, 3.79).
Pirates: Pittsburgh welcomes San Diego for a three-game series beginning Friday. Mitch Keller (1-2, 3.97) gets the ball for Pittsburgh in the opener.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation