Pirates Falter in 10-1 Loss to Cubs, Drop Three of Four

PITTSBURGH — 19,154 fans witnessed Bailey Falter (1-8, 5.04 ERA)  and the Pittsburgh Pirates stumbled in game four against the Chicago Cubs and fell 10-1, dropping three out of four games.

Falter exited the game early in the fifth inning after allowing a two run double.

The Pirates offense sung the bat early in the game, but fell victim to their demons of not swinging when it mattered and as a result, they couldn’t muster any offense.

When the dust settled, the Pirates managed just four hits with their fourth hit not coming until the ninth inning.

Recap

The Pirates and Cubs traded first-inning runs after each team cashed in on a leadoff double. Cody Bellinger drove in Nico Hoerner, and Ke’Bryan Hayes drove in Ji-Hwan Bae. 

Falter pitched a halfway decent game until the fifth inning. 

A Hoerner single, followed by a Dansby Swanson single, gave way for a Bellinger two-out double to center field. Falter left a sinker on the outer third, probably a little higher than he wanted, and Bellinger made him pay. 

Two runs scored, and the Pirates found themselves down 5-1. Falter’s final line read 4.2 innings pitched, seven hits, six runs, one walk, and three strikeouts. 

The Cubs added one more run in the fifth with Cody Bolton pitching for Falter. 

In the eighth inning, the Cubs rubbed salt into the wound with another run. LHP Jose Hernandez fielded a ball hit in front of the plate with Seiya Suzuki coming home, and Suzuki dodged the tag and made it a 7-1 game.

Bellinger continued to torture the Pirates as he hit another two-RBI double in the ninth inning making it a 9-1 game. In addition another run scored after a Yan Gomes groundout, making it 10-1.

Key Moment 

In the top of the fourth, Falter had two outs with a runner on first and Jeimer Candelario coming to the plate. Candelario then fouled off four pitches and forced an eight-pitch at-bat.

Falter threw his fourth slider of the at-bat and left it in the bottom third in the middle, and Candelario blasted it out to left field at 107.2 mph for a two-run homer.

The Cubs took a permanent lead and led 3-1 at that point.

Star of the Game

Bellinger went 3-5 with a double, and five RBIs.

Noteworthy

• Coming into Sunday’s game, Bellinger slashed .237/.319/.500 with 25 RBIs against the Pirates. During this current series, Bellinger registered eight RBIs.
• Falter has given up at least one home run in his last four starts. Falter’s last appearance without allowing a homer took place on Aug. 5 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
• In 40 straight games Ian Happ has reached base safely against the Pirates with 56 straight starts.
•  Bolton has now made his sixth stint with the big league club. In his last five appearances with the big league club, Bolton has yet to give up an earned run (7.0 IP).

Up Next

The Pittsburgh Pirates (58-73) head to Kansas City to play the Royals for a three-game set. The Pirates are scheduled to throw Johan Oviedo out for game one. Oviedo’s mound opponent has yet to be announced.