Final
Cubs' Rizzo homers twice, drives in six to down Pirates
Sep 17, 2012 - 1:05 AMVideo
With the bases loaded and none away in the sixth, Jared Hughes (2-2) relieved Rick van den Hurk and allowed an RBI single to Barney. Rizzo stepped up next and pulverized a grand slam deep into the right-center field bleachers for a 10-9 Cubs lead.
"He's been spectacular," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said of Rizzo, who upped his average to .300 with three hits.
Rizzo drove in six and scored three runs, Alfonso Soriano tallied three hits, two RBI and a run scored, Joe Mather hit a solo shot and Darwin Barney recorded two hits, scored three runs and drove in an RBI for Chicago, which has won seven of its last nine games.
Jeff Beliveau (1-0) picked up the final two outs in the visitors sixth for the win.
Pedro Alvarez cracked a pair of homers and racked up five RBI for the Pirates, who have dropped eight of their last nine contests and sit three games behind the Cardinals for the last NL wild card spot.
"It's tough to lose. ... We just have to keep grinding," Alvarez said.
The Cubs tacked on three runs in the eighth when Soriano belted an RBI double and David DeJesus added a two-run single, which made it 13-9.
Earlier, Chicago struck first in the opening frame when Soriano hit an RBI single to center field, but Pittsburgh tallied six unanswered runs.
Rod Barajas smacked a two-run shot and Andrew McCutchen slapped an RBI single in the second, while Alvarez stroked a two-run blast and Starling Marte added a run-scoring single in the fifth for a 6-1 Pirates spread.
Chicago, though, pushed across four in the bottom half to get back in the game.
Mather hit a one-out solo blast over the wall in left field, Rizzo clubbed a two-run shot into the center-field seats and Wellington Castillo added an RBI single later in the frame and cut the deficit to 6-5.
Pittsburgh scored three runs in the sixth on an Alvarez three-run homer into left-center field, which gave the Pirates a 9-5 lead.
Game Notes
The Cubs were 6-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base, while Pittsburgh finished 3-for-10 with RISP and stranded 10 ... Alvarez has 29 homers on the year ... Soriano has 101 RBI on the season.
- PITTSBURGH: 9
CHICAGO: 13
Final
Sep 16 6:28 PM - Alfonso Soriano double to right scored Darwin Barney with one out. Runner on second and Starlin Castro due up.
Pirates 9, Cubs 11 Bot 8, 1 OutSep 16 6:05 PM - Chad Qualls enters the game for the Pirates with none on and none out.
Pirates 9, Cubs 10 Bot 6, 0 OutsSep 16 5:15 PM - Pedro Alvarez one-out, three-run Home Run 2 (29) to left center scored Andrew McCutchen and Gaby Sanchez. Clint Barmes due up.
Pirates 9, Cubs 5 Top 6, 1 OutSep 16 4:48 PM - Welington Castillo single to center scored Alfonso Soriano with two outs. Runner on first and Dave Sappelt due up.
Pirates 6, Cubs 5 Bot 5, 2 OutsSep 16 4:31 PM - Anthony Rizzo one-out, two-run Home Run (13) to center scored Darwin Barney. Alfonso Soriano due up.
Pirates 6, Cubs 4 Bot 5, 1 OutSep 16 4:21 PM - Joe Mather one-out, solo Home Run (5) to center. Darwin Barney due up.
Pirates 6, Cubs 2 Bot 5, 1 OutSep 16 4:17 PM - Starling Marte single to left scored Rod Barajas with two outs. Runner on first and Neil Walker due up.
Pirates 6, Cubs 1 Top 5, 2 OutsSep 16 4:09 PM - Pedro Alvarez none-out, two-run Home Run (28) to left center scored Gaby Sanchez. Clint Barmes due up.
Pirates 5, Cubs 1 Top 5, 0 OutsSep 16 3:58 PM - Andrew McCutchen single to left scored Starling Marte with two outs. On the play, Neil Walker advances to second. Runners on first and second and Garrett Jones due up.
Pirates 3, Cubs 1 Top 2, 2 OutsSep 16 3:01 PM - Jeff Locke grounded out second to first. None on with two outs and Starling Marte due up.
Pirates 2, Cubs 1 Top 2, 2 OutsSep 16 2:53 PM - Alfonso Soriano single to left center scored Anthony Rizzo with two outs. Runner on first and Starlin Castro due up.
Pirates 0, Cubs 1 Bot 1, 2 OutsSep 16 2:42 PM - PITTSBURGH: 0
CHICAGO: 0
Top 1, 2 Outs
Sep 16 2:25 PM
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