• That's the last batter Wentz will face. Here comes HunterStratton to make his 2025 debut in a Pirates uniform. Really happy to see this considering the way in which his season ended a year ago. Great dude who was productive for this club last year.
• RUN: Tucker plates Happ with an RBI single to right. Cubs, 5-0
• End sixth inning: Pham retired U3. Another blown opportunity.
• Gorski down looking at a 100 mph fastball right down the pipe.
• Hayes lines out to right. Still a productive out, though. Allows Cutch to move into third. Runners on the corners with one out for Gorski.
• Bart reaches on a walk. He's now reached base three times tonight. Two singles prior.
• DanielPalencia enters.
• Imanaga is going to exit this one after facing one batter and throwing seven pitches here in the sixth.
• Cutch leads off the sixth with a double to left-center. Looks like the trainer is out to see Imanaga.
• Leadoff walk doesn't hurt Nicolas, as he gets Swanson to ground out 4-3.
• Crow-Armstrong flies out to right.
• Pham comes through with a sliding catch in left-center field to retire Hoerner.
• Leadoff walk to Busch.
• End fifth inning: Reynolds, a .365 career hitter with the bases loaded, goes down looking to end the threat. Splitter that just hits the bottom part of the zone. Huge opportunity squandered there.
• Cruz walks to load the bases for Reynolds.
• IKF follows with a single of his own. Pirates have two on for the first time tonight.
• Two-out single to left for Triolo.
• Berti with an excellent diving catch near the third-base line. Robs Pham of a hit.
• Gorski retired 6-3.
• Nicolas gets Kelly to ground out 4-3 to strand the bases loaded.
• Nicolas enters.
• Third walk of the inning allowed by Heaney loads the bases. That's going to be it for him after throwing 70 pitches over 4 2/3 innings. Just a rough showing these last two innings after setting down the first 11 batters he faced.
• Tucker walks to put two on with two outs for Suzuki.
• Kyle Nicolas warming up in the pen.
• Happ flies out to center.
• Berti grounds into a 6-4 fielder's choice. One out.
• Swanson walks on four pitches. Heaney really losing control here.
• HOME RUN: Crow-Armstrong sends the first pitch he sees from Heaney into the seats above the Clemente Wall. High fastball on the inner third. Cubs, 4-0
• Cubs are starting to get to Heaney this second time through the order. Hoerner gets an 87.5 mph fastball right down the middle and sends it into center for a leadoff double.
• End fourth inning: Hayes flies out to right to strand Bart at first. Offense unable to answer Chicago's two runs in the top half.
• Bart bloops a two-out single to right.
• Cutch flies out toward the warning track in center. Got good wood on that one.
• Reynolds down on strikes.
• Busch singles to left, but Pham guns him down trying to stretch it into a double. Ends the top of the fourth. Heaney sits at 46 pitches through four innings.
• HOME RUN: Kelly sends an 0-1 slider into the seats in left. Seventh homer of the season. First runs Heaney has allowed since April 12. Cubs, 2-0
• Suzuki doubles to center for the first hit against Heaney. Bizarre route to the ball there by Cruz. The guy makes one stellar play and always seems to follow it up with a questionable play.
• Cruz makes a running catch to retire Tucker on a liner to center.
• End third inning: Cruz goes down swinging on an ugly swing. Splitter that ran inside on him.
• Two-out single to right for IKF.
• Triolo does the same for the second out.
• Pham flies to right.
• Heaney retires Berti on a groundout to first. Nine up, nine down. Heaney only at 31 pitches through three innings.
• IKF makes a play in the hole and delivers a strong throw to first to retire Swanson 6-3.
• Crow-Armstrong flies out to left.
• End second inning: Gorski works the count back to 3-2 after falling behind 0-2 and ultimately grounds into a 6-4-3 double play.
• Hayes lines out to left.
• First hit of the night belongs to Bart. Leadoff single to right.
• Hoerner grounds out 5-3. Heaney didn't strike out the first six batters he faced like he did against the Angels last time out, but he's been incredibly effective early on. Six up, six down on 21 pitches.
• Kelly lines out to center and Busch is retired 3-1. Nice flip by Gorski and a barehand snag by Heaney to complete the out.
• End first inning: Cutch grounds out to third. That's one he probably wants back. Fastball up in the zone that he usually manages to get a hold of.
• Reynolds lines out to center.
• Cruz flies out to left.
• First time Imanaga is facing the Pirates since he threw seven no-hit innings against them on Sept. 4 in Chicago. He has yet to allow a run in 14 career innings -- two starts -- against them.
• A 1-2-3 first inning for Heaney. Gets Suzuki to fly out to left to end it. Only needed 10 pitches.
• Tucker pops out to Hayes in foul territory right in front of the tarp. Two outs.
• Heaney makes quick work of Happ, retiring him 4-3. Only needed three pitches there to get the first out.
• First pitch: Pirates vs. Cubs, 7:02 p.m., AndrewHeaney to IanHapp, 64 degrees, cloudy
• First pitch is now scheduled for 7 p.m.
• Tarp is coming off.
• No official word yet, but I can't at all imagine this game starts on time.
• Insane winds here at PNC Park an hour and a half before first pitch. Obviously, the tarp is out on the field.
• Derek Shelton’s lineup:
1. Oneil Cruz, CF 2. Bryan Reynolds, RF 3. Andrew McCutchen, DH 4. Joey Bart, C 5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B 6. Matt Gorski, 1B 7. Tommy Pham, LF 8. Jared Triolo, 2B 9. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS
• Craig Counsell's starting nine:
1. Ian Happ, LF 2. Kyle Tucker, RF 3. Seiya Suzuki, DH 4. Carson Kelly, C 5. Michael Busch, 1B 6. Nico Hoerner, 2B 7. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF 8. Dansby Swanson, SS 9. Jon Berti, 3B
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THE ASYLUM
José Negron
6:31 pm - 04.28.2025North ShoreFinal: Cubs 9, Pirates 0
• Who: Pirates (11-18) vs. Cubs (17-12)
• What: MLB regular season, Game 30
• When: 7 p.m.
• Where: PNC Park
• Weather: 75°, cloudy
• Pitchers: LHP Andrew Heaney (2-1, 1.72 ERA) vs. LHP Shota Imanaga (2-1, 3.18 ERA)
• TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh
• Radio: Pirates Radio Network
• Streaming: SNP360, MLB.TV
• Satellite: SiriusXM 861/854
• Boxscore: MLB.com
• Media notes: Pirates | Cubs
► FOLLOW ALONG
• That's game. IKF flies out to left. Cubs 9, Pirates 0
• Triolo flies out to right.
• Alexander Canario grounds out 5-3.
• Call is overturned. Runner is out. Double play ends the top half of the inning.
• Hoerner grounds into a 6-4 fielder's choice. Pirates are challenging the safe call at first.
• Busch flies out to center.
• RUN: Kelly drives in Suzuki with an RBI single to left. Cubs, 9-0
• Suzuki leads off the ninth with a triple into the gap in left-center.
• Renegade really hits different in an 8-0 game. David Bednar enters.
• End eighth inning: Gorski strikes out for a second time. Pirates have left nine stranded tonight.
• Single to center for Hayes.
• Bart has certainly been a bright spot for this offense today. Second walk and he's now reached base four times.
• McCutchen down swinging.
• Call is overturned. Reynolds is out.
• Infield single for Reynolds to lead off the home half. Cubs are challenging the safe call.
• Tucker retired 4-3 to end the top of the eighth.
• Happ grounds into a 4-6-3 double play.
• Berti legs out an infield single. Hayes did all he could there. Barehand snag and solid throw.
• HOME RUN: Swanson belts a homer -- the fourth of the night for the Cubs -- to left. A solo shot. Cubs, 8-0
• Colin Holderman gets the eighth.
• A: 9,434
• End seventh inning: Cruz flies out to center.
• IKF lines out to right.
• Triolo pops out in foul territory.
• Crow-Armstrong grounds out 4-3 to end the top of the seventh. Three runs on four hits for the Cubs in the inning.
• Hoerner walks to put two on. Oscar Marin comes out to pay Stratton a visit.
• Busch flies out to center.
• Welp, a rough start to the outing for Stratton. Kelly singles to left.
• HOME RUN: Suzuki sends a 3-1 pitch out over the wall in center. Cubs, 7-0
• Imanaga left tonight's game with leg cramps.
• That's the last batter Wentz will face. Here comes Hunter Stratton to make his 2025 debut in a Pirates uniform. Really happy to see this considering the way in which his season ended a year ago. Great dude who was productive for this club last year.
• RUN: Tucker plates Happ with an RBI single to right. Cubs, 5-0
• Happ doubles over the glove of a leaping Hayes.
• Berti retired 4-3.
• Joey Wentz gets the seventh.
• End sixth inning: Pham retired U3. Another blown opportunity.
• Gorski down looking at a 100 mph fastball right down the pipe.
• Hayes lines out to right. Still a productive out, though. Allows Cutch to move into third. Runners on the corners with one out for Gorski.
• Bart reaches on a walk. He's now reached base three times tonight. Two singles prior.
• Daniel Palencia enters.
• Imanaga is going to exit this one after facing one batter and throwing seven pitches here in the sixth.
• Cutch leads off the sixth with a double to left-center. Looks like the trainer is out to see Imanaga.
• Leadoff walk doesn't hurt Nicolas, as he gets Swanson to ground out 4-3.
• Crow-Armstrong flies out to right.
• Pham comes through with a sliding catch in left-center field to retire Hoerner.
• Leadoff walk to Busch.
• End fifth inning: Reynolds, a .365 career hitter with the bases loaded, goes down looking to end the threat. Splitter that just hits the bottom part of the zone. Huge opportunity squandered there.
• Cruz walks to load the bases for Reynolds.
• IKF follows with a single of his own. Pirates have two on for the first time tonight.
• Two-out single to left for Triolo.
• Berti with an excellent diving catch near the third-base line. Robs Pham of a hit.
• Gorski retired 6-3.
• Nicolas gets Kelly to ground out 4-3 to strand the bases loaded.
• Nicolas enters.
• Third walk of the inning allowed by Heaney loads the bases. That's going to be it for him after throwing 70 pitches over 4 2/3 innings. Just a rough showing these last two innings after setting down the first 11 batters he faced.
• Tucker walks to put two on with two outs for Suzuki.
• Kyle Nicolas warming up in the pen.
• Happ flies out to center.
• Berti grounds into a 6-4 fielder's choice. One out.
• Swanson walks on four pitches. Heaney really losing control here.
• HOME RUN: Crow-Armstrong sends the first pitch he sees from Heaney into the seats above the Clemente Wall. High fastball on the inner third. Cubs, 4-0
• Cubs are starting to get to Heaney this second time through the order. Hoerner gets an 87.5 mph fastball right down the middle and sends it into center for a leadoff double.
• End fourth inning: Hayes flies out to right to strand Bart at first. Offense unable to answer Chicago's two runs in the top half.
• Bart bloops a two-out single to right.
• Cutch flies out toward the warning track in center. Got good wood on that one.
• Reynolds down on strikes.
• Busch singles to left, but Pham guns him down trying to stretch it into a double. Ends the top of the fourth. Heaney sits at 46 pitches through four innings.
• HOME RUN: Kelly sends an 0-1 slider into the seats in left. Seventh homer of the season. First runs Heaney has allowed since April 12. Cubs, 2-0
• Suzuki doubles to center for the first hit against Heaney. Bizarre route to the ball there by Cruz. The guy makes one stellar play and always seems to follow it up with a questionable play.
• Cruz makes a running catch to retire Tucker on a liner to center.
• Happ retired 5-3.
• End third inning: Cruz goes down swinging on an ugly swing. Splitter that ran inside on him.
• Two-out single to right for IKF.
• Triolo does the same for the second out.
• Pham flies to right.
• Heaney retires Berti on a groundout to first. Nine up, nine down. Heaney only at 31 pitches through three innings.
• IKF makes a play in the hole and delivers a strong throw to first to retire Swanson 6-3.
• Crow-Armstrong flies out to left.
• End second inning: Gorski works the count back to 3-2 after falling behind 0-2 and ultimately grounds into a 6-4-3 double play.
• Hayes lines out to left.
• First hit of the night belongs to Bart. Leadoff single to right.
• Hoerner grounds out 5-3. Heaney didn't strike out the first six batters he faced like he did against the Angels last time out, but he's been incredibly effective early on. Six up, six down on 21 pitches.
• Kelly lines out to center and Busch is retired 3-1. Nice flip by Gorski and a barehand snag by Heaney to complete the out.
• End first inning: Cutch grounds out to third. That's one he probably wants back. Fastball up in the zone that he usually manages to get a hold of.
• Reynolds lines out to center.
• Cruz flies out to left.
• First time Imanaga is facing the Pirates since he threw seven no-hit innings against them on Sept. 4 in Chicago. He has yet to allow a run in 14 career innings -- two starts -- against them.
• A 1-2-3 first inning for Heaney. Gets Suzuki to fly out to left to end it. Only needed 10 pitches.
• Tucker pops out to Hayes in foul territory right in front of the tarp. Two outs.
• Heaney makes quick work of Happ, retiring him 4-3. Only needed three pitches there to get the first out.
• First pitch: Pirates vs. Cubs, 7:02 p.m., Andrew Heaney to Ian Happ, 64 degrees, cloudy
• First pitch is now scheduled for 7 p.m.
• Tarp is coming off.
• No official word yet, but I can't at all imagine this game starts on time.
• Insane winds here at PNC Park an hour and a half before first pitch. Obviously, the tarp is out on the field.
• Derek Shelton’s lineup:
1. Oneil Cruz, CF
2. Bryan Reynolds, RF
3. Andrew McCutchen, DH
4. Joey Bart, C
5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B
6. Matt Gorski, 1B
7. Tommy Pham, LF
8. Jared Triolo, 2B
9. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS
• Craig Counsell's starting nine:
1. Ian Happ, LF
2. Kyle Tucker, RF
3. Seiya Suzuki, DH
4. Carson Kelly, C
5. Michael Busch, 1B
6. Nico Hoerner, 2B
7. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
8. Dansby Swanson, SS
9. Jon Berti, 3B
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