Cubs rally past Pirates
PITTSBURGH – Anthony Rizzo hit a towering go-ahead, two-run homer off Jason Grilli in the seventh inning and the Chicago Cubs rallied past the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-4, Friday night.
Brian Bogusevic went 3-for-4 with his fifth homer of the season for Chicago. Dioneer Navarro added two hits as the Cubs ended Pittsburgh’s four-game winning streak.
Carlos Villanueva (6-8) picked up the win in relief. Kevin Gregg worked the ninth for his 32nd save.
Pedro Alvarez, Russell Martin and Garrett Jones hit consecutive solo home runs in the fourth for Pittsburgh. Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-4, but the Pirates lost for just the fourth time in 65 games when leading after six innings this season after Grilli (0-2) faltered.
Grilli, an All-Star in July , is still working his way back from a strained forearm that sidelined him for more than six weeks. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle moved Grilli into a middle relief role when he was activated off the 15-day disabled list earlier this month.
Pitching in his first pressure situation since his return, Grilli entered with the Pirates up a run in the seventh. He nearly got out of the inning clean, but Luis Valbuena walked on a borderline 3-2 pitch. Rizzo followed by turning on an 83 mph slider and sending it clear over the stands in right field for his first home run since Aug. 30.