Pittsburgh Pirates Slam Four Homers To Sweep Away Chicago Cubs

The Pittsburgh Pirates collected a season high in hits and a three-game sweep on Sunday as they turned back the Chicago Cubs 10-4 at Wrigley Field.

With the victory, Clint Hurdle‘s crew improved 74-68 and laid claim to a half-game lead over the Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers for the National League’s second Wild Card playoff spot. The Bucs have 20 games left on the schedule with nine at home and 11 on the road.

Contributing to the 19-hit barrage by the Bucs, Andrew McCutchen, Gaby Sanchez and Neil Walker each nailed three hits while Jordy Mercer, Russell Martin, Starling Marte and Jose Tabata had two apiece. For McCutchen, it was the second consecutive game that he put up three hits.

Neil Walker got the offensive assault started in the first against Chicago left-hander Travis Wood with a two-run drive to left for his 19th home run this season, matching second baseman Bill Mazeroski‘s 1958 record total at the position.

In the five-run second, when Mercer blasted his 11th homer over the left-field fence, followed by McCutchen’s 22nd, it marked the eighth time this season the Pirates put up back-to-back homers.

Wood, whose record dropped to 8-12 on the season, surrendered seven earned runs on nine hits while striking out one over 1 2/3 innings of work.

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Pirates starter Gerrit Cole threw 106 pitches over six-plus innings, allowing four runs, three earned on nine hits. He struck out eight while walking none as his record improved to 8-5.

Additionally, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound right-hander stood up and had his bat counted in the hit parade. In the seventh, Cole sent reliever Blake Parker‘s first-pitch fastball into the seats in left field for his first career home run.

The Cubs got on the scoreboard in the fifth on Mike Olt‘s single that scored Ryan Kalish. Cole gave up another run in the sixth when Welington Castillo doubled to left to drive home Chris Coghlan.

Matt Szczur singled home Olt as Cole faced three batters in the seventh before giving way to Jeanmar Gomez and Bobby LaFromboise to finish the frame.

John Axford answered the call to the bullpen and struck out two on 21 pitches in the eighth while John Holdzkom closed out the ninth with 18 pitches.

The Pirates continue their road trip as they open a four-game series with in-state rival Philadelphia on Monday at Citizens Bank Park, with the first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.

The Phillies (66-76) will send right-hander Kyle Kendrick (8-11, 4.77 ERA) to the mound, while the Bucs will counter with Jeff Locke (6-4, 3.75 ERA).

The 26-year-old Locke will be making his 18th start of the season on Monday night. The left-hander has gone 4-1 in his last six starts and is 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA in four starts this year against teams from the NL East. The game will be broadcast by ROOT Sports Pittsburgh.