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Chicago Cubs beat Pittsburgh Pirates 12-2 following rookie pitcher struggles

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 11, 2026, 10:31 PM

Last updated Sep 11, 2026

Chicago Cubs beat Pittsburgh Pirates 12-2 following rookie pitcher struggles

Summary

The Chicago Cubs defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-2 on Friday at Wrigley Field, ending the Pirates' four-game win streak. Pittsburgh transitioned to a bullpen game after placing Braxton Ashcraft on the injured list. Three rookie pitchers were utilized in the contest, though all struggled against the Chicago offense. Konnor Griffin opened the scoring with a first-inning triple and later crossed the plate on an Oneil Cruz single. The loss snapped a period of success for the Pittsburgh roster during this road stretch. Esmerlyn Valdez required assistance from a trainer and coach to leave the field during the sixth inning of the contest.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Status Watch

•Chicago Cubs defeated Pittsburgh Pirates 12-2 at Wrigley Field on Friday.
•The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
•Pittsburgh relied on a bullpen game after placing Braxton Ashcraft on the injured list.
•A trio of rookie pitchers surrendered runs to the Chicago lineup throughout the afternoon.
•Esmerlyn Valdez was helped off the field by a trainer during the sixth inning.

Latest Updates

10:31 PMYahoo Sports — Pirates rookie pitchers pummeled by Cubs; 4-game win streak ends

What they're saying

"
With Braxton Ashcraft being placed on the injured list, the Pirates had to rely on a bullpen game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. A trio of rookie pitchers were all hit hard, and Pittsburgh was routed 12-2 by Chicago on Friday afternoon.
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

Chicago Cubs Pittsburgh Pirates MLB Baseball