Red-hot Frazier carries Pirates past Cubs again


Reuters | New York | Updated: 03-07-2019 09:48 IST | Created: 03-07-2019 09:47 IST
Red-hot Frazier carries Pirates past Cubs again
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Adam Frazier went 4 for 4 with a three-run homer and three runs scored Tuesday to help the Pittsburgh Pirates down the visiting Chicago Cubs 5-1. Frazier picked up where he left off Monday when he had four doubles among his five hits. Starling Marte was 2 for 4 with an RBI double on Tuesday for Pittsburgh, which has won the first two games of the four-game series by a combined 23-6.

Chicago has lost three straight and eight of 12. Both starters, Pittsburgh's Joe Musgrove and Chicago's Kyle Hendricks, had to come out after three innings because of a rain delay. Musgrove, who had allowed just one earned in 13 innings over his previous two starts, went another three scoreless, with one hit, four strikeouts and no walks. Clay Holmes (1-0), the Pirates' fourth pitcher, worked a scoreless sixth and seventh, including striking out the side in the sixth.

Hendricks (7-6), who was activated from the injured list (right shoulder inflammation) earlier in the day, allowed two runs and four hits, with four strikeouts and one walk. In the first inning, Frazier led off with a single to centre. An out later, Marte singled to centre, moving Frazier to third. Josh Bell followed with a sacrifice fly to score Frazier for a 1-0 Pirates lead. Pittsburgh increased it to 2-0 in the third. Frazier hit a double with one out, and he scored on Marte's two-out double to right-centre.

The ensuing rain delay lasted 2:05. In the fourth against Cubs reliever Dillon Maples, Kevin Newman drew a one-out walk. An out later, pinch-hitter Steven Brault, a starting pitcher, singled to right, moving Newman to third and chasing Maples in favour of Mike Montgomery. Frazier made it 5-0 with a three-run homer to right, his fourth home run of the season. Frazier led off the seventh with a single, giving him hits in seven straight at-bats. The last time a Pirate had such a streak was Freddy Sanchez on May 25-26, 2009. Pittsburgh could not parlay that hit into any runs. The Cubs broke up the shutout in the ninth against Felipe Vazquez on Willson Contreras' RBI double. 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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