Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Box Score on Aug 28, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Aug 28, 2017

CHICAGO -- Left-hander Mike Montgomery worked a season-high seven-plus innings and held the Pittsburgh Pirates to one run in the Chicago Cubs' 6-1 victory on Monday night.

Montgomery (5-6) struck out four, walked none and allowed six hits in his second start since joining the rotation after Jon Lester landed on the disabled list this month.

He also had a hit and scored a run in the opener of a three-game series at Wrigley Field.

Chicago (70-60) has won two of its past three. The Pirates (63-69) saw a two-game winning streak end and fell eight games behind the National League Central-leading Cubs.

Pirates right-hander Trevor Williams (5-7) worked five innings and took his third loss in his last four starts. He is now 1-2 all time against Chicago, all this year.

Ahead 2-0, the Cubs loaded the bases in the seventh and scored three runs on Alex Avila's two-out infield single. Kris Bryant came home on the hit, and Jon Jay and Ian Happ then scored on two Pirates throwing errors on the play to make it 5-0.

Montgomery's shutout bid ended in the eighth with Jordy Mercer's leadoff home run to left, Mercer's 12th of the year. Montgomery was replaced by Carl Edwards Jr., who worked the rest of the eighth.

Albert Almora Jr. closed the Cubs' scoring in the eighth with a two-out double to center, scoring Ben Zobrist.

Cubs closer Wade Davis worked a 1-2-3 ninth.

Jason Heyward went 2-for-4, Bryant was 1-for-3 with two walks, and Happ went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

Mercer went 3-for-3 for the Pirates, and David Freese finished 2-for-4.

Happ gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the second. Anthony Rizzo lined a leadoff double to right, and Happ bounced an RBI single up the middle to drive him in with none out.

Cubs shortstop Javier Baez turned in the defensive gem of the game in the third inning, hitting the dirt as he stopped a Jose Osuna liner and quickly picked himself up for a throw that barely beat the runner at first.

The Cubs made it 2-0 on a Rizzo sacrifice fly to deep center in the fifth.

Montgomery reached on an infield single and advanced to third on Tommy La Stella's one-out base hit to right. Williams walked Bryant to load the bases for Rizzo, who knocked in the run with his fly ball.

Williams allowed two runs and six hits, walked three and struck out four while throwing 88 pitches.

NOTES: The Pirates shuffled their roster, placing INF Adam Frazier (strained right hamstring) on the 10-day disabled list, recalling OF Jordan Luplow and RHP Dovydas Neverauskas from Triple-A Indianapolis and sending RHP Johnny Barbato to Indy. ... The Pirates send RHP Chad Kuhl (6-9, 4.52 ERA) against Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (13-8, 3.49) in Tuesday's middle game at Wrigley Field. ... Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo has reached 30 homers for the fourth straight season. ... Cubs LHP Jon Lester (lat, shoulder) threw a 47-pitch simulated game at Wrigley Field on Monday and is on target for a late week return off the disabled list. ... Cubs organist Gary Pressy entertained in his 2,500th consecutive game on Monday, a run of nearly 31 seasons.