The Pittsburgh Pirates pulled out a 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday afternoon to snap a five-game losing streak.

Braxton Ashcraft threw five-strong innings for the Pirates and Jack Suwinski hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning.

The Pirates (52-71) will look to make it two wins in a row against the Cubs (68-53) on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

First pitch is set for 2:20 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on SportsNet Pittsburgh and 93.7 The Fan.

Weather

Cloudy skies overhead with temperatures creeping up towards 90 degrees. Winds SE at 7-9 mph.

RHP Mike Burrows (1-4, 4.66 ERA) Will Start for the Pirates

Burrows was tagged for four runs in five innings against the Cincinnati Reds in his last start on Sunday afternoon.

Over his last two starts, the rookie right-hander has allowed 10 runs and surrendered four home runs across 9.2 innings.

Burrows has already thrown a career-high 100 innings this season between the Pirates and Triple-A Indianapolis. His previous high was 94.1 innings between Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona in 2022.

Burrows faced the Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 14 and allowed one run in 5.1 innings with a career-high eight strikeouts.

LHP Shota Imanaga (8-5, 3.19 ERA) Will Start for the Cubs

Imanaga’s last start was against the St. Louis Cardinals and he struck out a season-high nine batters while allowing three runs across 6.2 innings.

After allowing 10 runs on 17 hits in eight innings between his final two starts of July, Imanaga has rebounded to post a 2.77 ERA (4er/13ip) in two starts to open August.

The left-hander has only walked 17 batters in 17 starts on the season, but he’s also allowed 17 home runs, including six over his last four outings.

He faced the Pirates in Pittsburgh on April 29 and got the win after tossing five-scoreless innings. In three career starts against the Pirates, Imanaga has yet to allow a run across 19 innings.

Cubs Hitters vs. Burrows

Kyle Tucker: 2 for 3, one strikeout
Seiya Suzuki: 0 for 3, one strikeout
Nico Hoerner: 2 for 2
Pete Crow-Armstrong: 1 for 2
Willi Castro: 1 for 1

Pirates Hitters vs. Imanaga

Bryan Reynolds: 1 for 9, three strikeouts
Jared Triolo: 2 for 7, one walk, four strikeouts
Nick Gonzales: 0 for 6, one strikeout
Joey Bart: 3 for 5
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 2 for 5
Tommy Pham: 2 for 5
Andrew McCutchen: 1 for 5, one double, one walk

Tidbits

Jack Suwinski recorded his third career go-ahead home run in the ninth inning or later and his firt since the 2022 season.
Mike Burrows has received one or zero runs of support in each of his first five road starts this season.
Each of the last five games between the Pirates and Cubs have been decided by one run (Cubs have won three of the five). The last time there was a streak that long in the series was in 1992.

Links

Perrotto: This Season’s Finish Total Opposite of 2024 for Tim Mayza

Jack Suwinski’s Hometown Heroics Lift Pirates to Win Over Cubs; Losing Streak Snapped

Pirates Roster Moves: Evan Sisk, Colin Holderman Join Bullpen

Perrotto: It’s Now or Never for Jared Triolo

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