Happ spoils Hayes’ debut, leads Cubs past Pirates 8-7

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ian Happ finished what he started, singling home Nico Hoerner in the top of the 11th to lead the Chicago Cubs to an 8-7 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

Happ, who led off the game with a home run, went 3 for 6 with two RBIs as Chicago spoiled the major league debut of Pirates prospect Ke’Bryan Hayes.

Hayes, the son of longtime major league infielder Charlie Hayes, hit a tying homer in the eighth and added an RBI double. The 23-year-old third baseman missed a chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth when he struck out looking with two men on, but he was placed on second in the 10th and slid under a tag by Chicago catcher Willson Contreras to pull the Pirates even again.

Happ finally put the Pirates away when he sent a sharp single to center off Kyle Crick (0-1) in the 11th. Jeremy Jeffress (3-1) held Pittsburgh scoreless in the bottom of the inning as Chicago won for the third time in four games.

Happ and Kyle Schwarber each hit their 10th homer of the season for the Cubs. Kris Bryant added two hits in his return from a trip to the injured list due to a wrist issue.

The Cubs have been mostly stuck in neutral since their hot 13-3 start, but Bryant’s return along with the arrival of reinforcements at the trade deadline gave first-year manager David Ross a chance to hit reset entering September.

Ross kept Happ in the leadoff spot and slotted Bryant — who spent time in the leadoff position earlier in the year — right behind Happ believing it lengthened the lineup. It only took two pitches to make it look like the right call.

Happ turned on Chad Kuhl’s second offering and sent it to the concourse behind the seats in right-center field to give Chicago an early lead. Happ’s third leadoff homer of the season pushed his career home run total to 60, the most ever by a Cubs switch hitter.

Chicago pecked away at Kuhl — who has been one of the few bright spots for the Pirates in his return from Tommy John surgery — before chasing him when Bryant led the fifth with a single. The Cubs then pounced on Tyler Bashlor. Javy Baez hit an RBI double and Schwarber drilled a two-run shot to put Chicago up 6-1.

Cubs left-hander Jon Lester cruised through five innings, but ran into trouble in the sixth when five straight Pirates reached. Hayes was right in the middle of it, shaking off a borderline strike call that put him in a 1-2 hole and then lacing an RBI double off the wall in left for his first major league hit.

Hayes scored on a single by Adam Frazier and when Jose Osuna doubled home Frazier, the Pirates were within a run. Hayes made it 6-6 when he took the second pitch he saw following a 71-minute rain delay and sent it over the wall in center.

The last-place Pirates called up their top-rated prospect — a three-time Gold Glove winner in the minors — on Tuesday with an eye toward the future. The former first-round pick looked right at home at PNC Park, showcasing the defensive flair that made him with the 32nd overall selection in the 2015 draft.

Hayes drifted to his left and retired Bryant to end the third. He also threw out Bryant at home to end the top of the ninth, a curious decision considering there were two outs and the ball was a relatively routine grounder to third by Baez.

COMING AND GOING

The NL Central-leading Cubs were active at the trade deadline, acquiring veteran outfielder Cameron Maybin, utility player José Martinez and left-handed reliever Josh Osich.

Martinez served as the designated hitter Tuesday and went 0 for 3 while batting eighth. Osich allowed a run in the 10th.

To make room for the additions, Chicago sent outfielder Albert Almora Jr. to the club’s alternate training site in South Bend, placed right-hander Tyler Chatwood on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain and designated reliever Casey Sadler for assignment.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Joe Musgrove (right triceps inflammation) will return from a stint to the disabled list and start on Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Cubs: Kyle Hendricks (3-4, 4.09 ERA) is just 1-2 with a 6.61 ERA in three road starts this season.

Pirates: Musgrove (0-3, 6.75 ERA), Pittsburgh’s opening-day starter, looks for his first win of the year.

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