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Cubs end 7-game skid, top Pirates

Sep 14, 2014 - 6:49 AM Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Javier Baez hit an early two-run homer, Felix Doubront tossed six strong innings and the Chicago Cubs halted a seven- game losing streak with a 6-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

"He was very patient in his at-bats and with some tough calls there. He showed extreme poise," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said of Baez.

Matt Szczur hit his first career homer, Arismendy Alcantara had two hits with two runs scored and Welington Castillo and Mike Olt each drove in a run for Chicago, which avoided matching its longest losing streak since July 31-Aug. 8, 2012.

Doubront (2-1) allowed just four hits with one walk and a strikeout to earn the win.

Russell Martin hit a three-run double and Travis Snider hit a solo shot for the Pirates, who had their three-game winning streak come to an end.

Starter Jeff Locke (7-5) was tagged with the loss after giving up three runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings for the Pirates.

The Cubs got on the board with three runs in the third. Alcantara got aboard with a leadoff single and Baez brought him in with his ninth home run of the season. Luis Valbuena followed with a double off the right-field wall and Castillo singled to place runners at the corners. Valbuena crossed home when Chris Valaika grounded into a double play.

"I just didn't make pitches when I needed to in that (third) inning," Locke said. "It was the difference in the game."

Locke's outing ended in the sixth after issuing a pair of one-out walks to Olt and Junior Lake. Brandon Cumpton took over and got out of the inning.

Alcantara singled to open the seventh, stole second, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Castillo's sacrifice fly. Olt later hit an RBI double to left for a 5-0 game.

In the eighth, Szczur hit a towering shot just inside the left-field foul pole.

The Pirates loaded the bases against Dan Straily with one out in the eighth. Martin's double cleared the bags and cut Pittsburgh's deficit in half.

Snider started the bottom of the ninth with a blast to right-center field, but Hector Rondon retired the next three batters to earn his 24th save of the season.

Game Notes

Pittsburgh went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base... Baez homered for the second straight game.