PCA defies physics, Pressly closes strong as Cubs beat Pirates
The Cubs were back in their element Thursday — wind blowing in, another crowd of 40,000 at Wrigley Field and they used some unlikely means to secure a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh.
Pete Crow-Armstrong got the Cubs on the board in the fourth inning by smacking a fastball, that was at least 6 inches above the top of the strike zone, hallway up the right-field bleachers for a 2-run homer.
“You know, just committing to being on time for it,” Crow-Armstrong said. “(Pirates starter Andrew Heaney) has got a good heater at a low slot, that presents itself with a lot of carry and a little upshoot, so I'm already thinking on top. Yeah, good to execute like that.”
To finish the game, Ryan Pressly recorded his first save since April 13. Expected to be the Cubs' closer this season, the former Astros reliever has thrown scoreless outings in 24 of his last 25 appearances. The one time he did give up runs, though, he was tagged for 8 in extra innings against the Giants on May 6. Since then, nothing.
“I think Ryan deserves a ton of credit here for how he's bounced back,” manager Craig Counsell said. “If you look at his season, he's had one bad inning. That inning resulted in some changes on our end, and he's put up zeros ever since.
“It's just a lesson, man, to all of us as to what it means to be a professional. How this game, it's going to knock you down — are you going to stay down or are you going to get back up? Metaphors I guess, but he chose to get back up and battle his tail off and get better.”
That doesn't necessarily mean Pressly is back in as the closer. Counsell used Daniel Palencia in the eighth inning against the heart of Pittsburgh's order, and he also pitched a perfect inning.
Cubs starter Jameson Taillon (7-3) allowed just 1 hit and no runs through 6 innings, perhaps on the way his first scoreless start of the season. But he ran into trouble in the seventh, giving up a double and 2 singles after retiring the first batter.
The usually reliable Brad Keller came in from the bullpen and hit a batter to load the bases, then walked Jared Triolo to force in a run, before striking out Oneil Cruz on a 3-2 pitch.
Taillon was charged with 2 earned runs, giving him a 1.91 ERA in his last five starts. He talked about becoming kind of a workhorse of this Cubs staff after going through two elbow surgeries earlier in his career.
“I take a lot of pride in being out there, being available, being reliable,” Taillon said. “That's something I take a lot of pride in, because I've been the hurt guy before. I feel like I kind of reinvented myself a little bit and I've been able to, knock on wood, stay on the field and just be a guy that our position players can look forward to seeing on the mound every fifth day.”
Seiya Suzuki's 17th home run of the season in the sixth inning sent the Cubs up 3-0, and turned out to be the difference. Crow-Armstrong is at 18 home runs on the season.