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Cubs Outlast Pirates in Extra Innings

Ian Happ finished what he started, singling home Nico Hoerner in the 11th to lead the Cubs to an 8-7 win over the Pirates on Tuesday night. Happ, a Pittsburgh native who led off the game with a home run, finished with three hits as the NL Central leaders won for the third time in four games.

 

Ke'Bryan Hayes, the son of longtime major league infielder Charlie Hayes, collected his first career hit with an RBI double to left off Jon Lester in the sixth. The 23-year-old emerged from a 71-minute rain delay in the eighth, took the second pitch he saw and deposited it over the wall in center to knot the game at 6.

 

Happ finally put the Pirates away when he sent a sharp single to center off Kyle Crick (0-1) in the 11th. Jeremy Jeffress (3-1) held Pittsburgh scoreless in the bottom of the inning to help Chicago escape.

 

Happ and Kyle Schwarber each hit their 10th homer of the season for the Cubs. Kris Bryant added two hits in his return from a trip to the injured list due to a wrist issue.

 

The Cubs have been mostly stuck in neutral since their 13-3 start, but Bryant's return along with the arrival of reinforcements at the trade deadline gave Ross a chance to hit reset entering September.

 

David Ross kept Happ in the leadoff spot and slotted Bryant - who spent time in the leadoff position earlier in the year - right behind Happ believing it lengthened the lineup. It only took two pitches to make it look like the right call.

 

Happ turned on Chad Kuhl's second offering and sent it to the concourse behind the seats in right-center field. Happ's third leadoff homer of the season pushed his career home run total to 60, the most ever by a Cubs switch hitter.

 

Kyle Hendricks (3-4, 4.09 ERA) is just 1-2 with a 6.61 ERA in three road starts this season.

Joe Musgrove (0-3, 6.75 ERA), Pittsburgh's opening-day starter, looks for his first win of the year.

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