The Chicago Cubs put on a show at Wrigley Field, cruising to an 8-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates behind a potent offensive performance and timely pitching.
The Cubs jumped on Pirates’ highly-touted rookie pitcher Paul Skenes early, tagging him for five runs in just three innings.
Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki led the charge with clutch hits, including a towering home run by Suzuki that energized the crowd.
On the mound, Cubs starter Jameson Taillon went six solid innings, limiting the Pirates to two runs while striking out five. The bullpen held steady, with Mark Leiter Jr. and Adbert Alzolay closing out the final frames with minimal trouble.
Cubs fans couldn’t help but take some playful jabs at the struggling Skenes, with one viral comment declaring, “Babe Ruth would’ve CRUSHED Skenes today!” — a nod to the rookie’s rough outing against a red-hot lineup. Though Skenes has shown promise in previous starts, today was a learning experience.
With the win, the Cubs improved their record and continued their push in the NL Central, while the Pirates look to regroup after another tough loss on the road. Next game promises more fireworks.