Video Game Bucs: Pirates, Cubs split four-game series
Following is an update of the Pittsburgh Pirates 2020 baseball season as played on PlayStation Franchise Mode under the guidance of Brian Lohr for the Herald-Standard …
Jose Quintana pitched eight scoreless innings and the Chicago offense eked out a pair of runs to split the four-game series in Pittsburgh with a 2-0 victory Thursday afternoon.
Quintana (1-0) allowed five hits, walked three and struck out five. Dan Winkler earned his second save of the season, but survived a rough inning of work to do so. He allowed one hit and walked two, but struck out two to close the threat.
Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant each had an RBI and double for the Cubs. Schwarber, Jason Heyward and David Bote all had two hits.
Adam Frazier led the Pirates (7-6) with a double and two singles. Jacob Stallings went 2-for-2 with a walk. Josh Bell singled for the Buccos’ other hit. Bryan Reynolds walked twice.
Trevor Williams (0-3) pitched a solid game, allowing just one run (in the top of the third inning) on seven hits in seven innings of work. He walked two and struck out nine. Nick Burdi allowed a run in the top of the ninth inning on three hits and a walk.
Pittsburgh 4, Chicago Cubs 3 — Keone Kela had a blown save in the top of the ninth inning, but Pittsburgh picked up its closer in the bottom of the inning with an unearned run for a victory Wednesday over the visiting Chicago Cubs.
Jose Osuna started the game-winning rally in the ninth with a double off Jeremy Jeffress. Jason Martin entered the game to run for Osuna. Kevin Kramer walked and Luke Maile sacrificed the runners ahead a base.
Josh Bell, pinch-hitting for Kela, walked to load the bases. Martin sprinted home with the game-winner when Cubs catcher Willson Contreras mishandled Adam Frazier’s batted ball.
The Cubs tied the game in the top of the ninth off Kela. Anthony Rizzo’s pinch-hit single opened the inning. Javier Baez struck out looking, but David Bote followed with a triple to plate Rizzo with the game-tying run. Kela ended the threat by striking out Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras.
Kela, the league leader with five saves, had his first blown save of the season.
Osuna also belted a solo home run. Frazier added a single and double. Bryan Reynolds and Kevin Kramer finished with an RBI each. Gregory Polanco doubled.
Chicago Cubs 5, Pittsburgh 1 — Kyle Hendricks pitched seven strong innings Tuesday to lead the visiting Chicago Cubs to a victory at Pittsburgh.
Hendricks allowed one run on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts. He also drove in a run.
Jason Heyward, Jason Kipnis and Victor Caratini all finished with two hits and drove in a run for the Cubs. Heyward belted a solo home run.
Joe Musgrove started and pitched into the fifth inning, allowing all five runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
The Pirates (6-5) scored their run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Colin Moran’s double plated Adam Frazier. Frazier led the Pirates with two singles.
Pittsburgh 6, Chicago Cubs 4 — Adam Frazier belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning Monday to lift Pittsburgh to a series-opening victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Frazier hit the home run off Alec Mills (0-2).
The Pirates (6-4) led 4-1 after three innings, but the Cubs rallied with one run in the top of the fourth and two more in the seventh.
Richard Rodriguez pitched a perfect eighth inning to earn his first win of the season. Keone Kela earned his fifth save of the season, but had to work out of a jam. He allowed a hit and a walk and struck out one.
Albert Almora Jr. had the big bat for Chicago with two home runs and three RBI. Kris Bryant belted a solo home run and added a single.