Jack Suwinski hit a three-run homer and Johan Oviedo pitched seven scoreless innings Saturday as the Pittsburgh Pirates downed the visiting Chicago Cubs 6-0 to snap an eight-game losing streak.
Oviedo (4-2) was dominant. He allowed three hits, all singles, struck out seven, walked none and retired the final 16 batters he faced.
He was making his fifth start for Pittsburgh since coming over in a trade from St. Louis.
Zach Thompson pitched the final two innings in the five-hit shutout.
Rookie Ji Hwan Bae added a two-run double during a five-run fifth for the Pirates (56-96), who had lost the first two games of the four-game set by one run each.
The Cubs (66-86) had won four in a row.
Chicago starter Wade Miley (1-2) gave up one run and three hits in four-plus innings, with three strikeouts and one walk, before he left in the fifth with an oblique injury.
In the first, Bryan Reynolds singled to right with one out and went to third on Rodolfo Castro's double to center. Diego Castillo got Reynolds home with a sacrifice fly to right for a 1-0 Pirates lead.
That's how it stood until Pittsburgh batted around and scored five runs in the fifth.
Ben Gamel walked. Greg Allen bunted toward the mound. Miley fielded it, spun and threw to second. Not only did his throw go into center for an error, but Miley also immediately grabbed at his right side and left the game. He was pitching in just his fourth game since he came off the injured list.
Adbert Alzolay relieved Miley. After Jason Delay popped out to second, Bae, playing in his second major league game, doubled to the corner in right to drive in Gamel and Allen for his first two career RBIs and a 3-0 Pirates lead.
Reynolds got hit by a pitch but was out at second when Castro hit into a forceout. Suwinski followed with his 18th homer, an estimated 426-foot shot to center, to up it to 6-0.
--Field Level Media
Chi. Cubs | Pittsburgh | |
Wade Miley | Player | Johan Oviedo |
Loss | W/L | Win |
4.0 | IP | 7.0 |
3 | Strikeouts | 7 |
3 | Hits | 3 |
2.25 | ERA | 0.00 |
Chi. Cubs | Pittsburgh | |
David Bote | Player | Rodolfo Castro |
1 | Hits | 2 |
0 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
1 | TB | 3 |
.333 | Avg | .500 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Chi. Cubs | 5 | 0 | 6 | .156 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Pittsburgh | 7 | 1 | 13 | .226 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |