Bryan Reynolds' Two-Run Blast Just Ended the Cubs' Day at Wrigley, and Pittsburgh Isn't Slowing Down

The Pittsburgh Pirates walked into Wrigley Field on Friday and left with a shutout victory that should have Chicago's front office asking serious questions. Bryan Reynolds crushed a two-run homer off Cubs reliever Caleb Thielbar in the seventh inning, and that was all Pittsburgh needed in a 2-0 win that felt like a clinic in efficient baseball. The Pirates are rolling right now, winners of seven of their past nine games, and they're not done with the Cubs yet.

Reynolds Breaks It Open When It Matters

Chicago starter Shota Imanaga was absolutely dealing through six innings, holding the entire Pirates lineup hitless. But baseball is a nine-inning game, and the moment things got handed to reliever Caleb Thielbar, the Pirates pounced. Ryan O'Hearn singled to right on Thielbar's second pitch of the seventh. The very next pitch left the park off Reynolds' bat, sailing to left field for his third homer of the season. That's all she wrote. Two outs, two runs, game over. Reynolds turned a perfectly pitched game into a loss with one swing.

Pirates Pitching Was Lock-Down Tight

Carmen Mlodzinski gave Pittsburgh exactly what you need in a 2-0 game. He threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing six hits while walking three and striking out two. He escaped trouble in the fourth when Chicago loaded the bases with two outs, getting Moises Ballesteros to line out to left. Mason Montgomery took over in relief and didn't mess around, earning the win by striking out two and escaping his own bases-loaded jam in the fifth with a strikeout of pinch hitter Matt Shaw. Dennis Santana closed it out with a perfect ninth, striking out Dansby Swanson and Michael Busch for his first save of the season.

Cubs Couldn't Get Runners Home

Here's what's got to sting for Chicago fans. The Cubs had six hits, worked seven walks, but went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 base runners. Ian Happ went 2 for 4 with two hits and Carson Kelly added a single and three walks. Imanaga was phenomenal with nine strikeouts and just one walk, but he got no-decision because his lineup couldn't push a run across.

Pittsburgh heads into Saturday looking for their first series win over Chicago since September 2024. After this performance, the Cubs better figure something out fast.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.