CHRISTOPHER PANSINO – OVATHLETICS.COM

In the past two games the Pirates and Cubs have combine for 37 runs. Today game was far from that 18 ½ run average. Today’s 5-3 Pirate loss saw significantly better pitching, at least on the Pirates end, but ultimately coming up short in the run production column.

Pirate’s up and comer James McDonald took the mound Wednesday and pitched five inning allowing three runs on eight hits. His start was not good throwing two wild pitches and falling behind 18 of the 25 batters he faced.

And it was the way the Cubs found ways to get runs that decided the ball game. The Cubs went 3 for 14 with men in scoring position, while the Pirates were 0 for 9.

The Pirates were able to get three runs on the board. The runs were a product of both Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker who combined for 4 of the Pirate’s 6 hits. McCutchen drove in two runs with an RBI double in the fifth and a walk in the eighth inning. Walker also added a run in the third with a solo homer to left center field.

But the Pirates ultimately came up short with bullpen allowing two more runs to score in the seventh inning. The back-to-back RBI singles by Jeff Baker and Micah Hoffpauir gave the Cubs the two run cushion they needed to get the win.

The Pirates capped off the season against the Cubs with a 10-5 combined record. While the Pirates dominated the Cubs early in the season, despite the expectation for a dark horse playoff contender, they faded much like their season into a meteoric end.

The Pirates will have Thursday off before retuning home for a series against the Washington Nationals.