Cubs Take Skenes Deep 3 Times, Suzuki Homers Twice in 8-3 Win

Introduction to the Game

PITTSBURGH (AP) — 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.
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.

Incident and Response

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 where a fan fell from 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 “one of the most difficult moments many of us have ever experienced.”

Game Highlights

Key Moment

Skenes walked the bases loaded in the fourth, but escaped major damage by inducing a double play to get out of it.

Key Stat

1 — the number of home runs Skenes had allowed in his first six starts.

Upcoming Games

Next Matches

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.

Conclusion

The Cubs’ victory marked a significant win, taking two out of three games from the Pirates. The team’s ability to capitalize on Skenes’ struggles in the fifth inning was crucial, with Swanson, Tucker, and Suzuki all hitting home runs. The Cubs will look to continue their momentum as they face the Milwaukee Brewers next.

FAQs

• Q: Who were the key players in the Cubs’ win?
  A: Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker, and Seiya Suzuki were key players, each hitting home runs in the fifth inning.
• Q: How did Paul Skenes perform?
  A: Skenes had his shortest start of the season, lasting only five innings and walking four batters, matching his total for the season coming into the game.
• Q: What is the status of the fan who fell from the stands?
  A: The fan was in critical condition at Allegheny General Hospital as of Thursday, following the incident described as an accident by Pittsburgh Police.