Crow-Armstrong shines as Cubs ease past Pirates

CHICAGO: Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki delivered a stellar performance to help the Chicago Cubs ease past the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 here at Wrigley Field on Thursday.

Cubs’ Jameson Taillon (7-3), allowed two runs on four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in six and one-third innings. While Ryan Pressly saved his fifth by pitching a successful ninth.

Suzuki contributed with a solo shot for the Cubs, who won the opener of their 10-game homestand despite mustering just four hits.

Adam Frazier drove an RBI double in the seventh inning for the Pirates, who lost for just the second time in seven games.

Pittsburgh starter Andrew Heaney (3-5) permitted three earned runs in six innings he pitched and finished with seven strikeouts.

Crow-Armstrong came after two batters batted and hit a home run to open the scoring for the Cubs. The homer was his 18th of the season and third in his past seven games.

Suzuki hit a home run off Heaney, sending the ball over the left-field wall and giving Chicago a 3-0 lead in the game. The homer was Suzuki's 17th of the season and third in his past six games.

Taillon allowed just a one-out single to Andrew McCutchen in the first inning before breezing into the seventh.

Spencer Horwitz scored Pittsburgh's first run on Frazier's single. Taillon allowed another single before being replaced by Brad Keller, who issued a bases-loaded walk to Jared Triolo after hitting a batter with a pitch.

Chicago reliever Daniel Palencia retired the side in order in the eighth inning and Pressly did the same in the ninth to secure his fifth save of the season.

Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes will start the second game of the series on Friday night against the Cubs' Cade Horton.