Ian Happ homered as part of a three-RBI day for the Chicago Cubs, who clinched a playoff spot Wednesday with their 8-4 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Cubs (88-64) celebrated their first postseason berth since the shortened 2020 campaign after Happ caught the final out in left field to sweep the three-game series and win their fourth straight.
It is also Chicago’s first playoff berth during a full season since 2018.
A three-run sixth inning, fueled by two errors, broke open a 4-4 game. Pirates reliever Yohan Ramirez’s throw in the dirt after deflecting a line drive allowed Dansby Swanson to reach. One out later, Matt Shaw walked, but catcher Joey Bart threw to second anyway, and Swanson advanced to third after the wild throw. Michael Busch’s sacrifice fly allowed the Cubs, who had squandered a 4-0 advantage after a half-inning, to reclaim the lead.
Happ singled off Evan Sisk to bring home Shaw in the sixth. He also started the scoring with a two-run home run, his 23rd of the season, as part of a four-run first inning. Moises Ballesteros followed Happ with his second homer of the season.
Happ and Nico Hoerner both went 2-for-4 with a walk, with Hoerner scoring three times. Justin Turner, who pinch-hit for Ballesteros in the sixth, had RBI singles in the sixth and eighth innings.
The Pirates (65-88) got three runs back in their half of the first off Cubs starter Matthew Boyd. Bart hit his third homer of the season. The three-run homer came after Boyd walked Tommy Pham and gave up a single to Andrew McCutchen, all happening with two outs.
McCutchen tied it in the second on a walk with the bases loaded.
Boyd lasted just three innings, allowing seven hits and two walks to go with five strikeouts.
Oviedo lasted five innings. He struck out three and walked three while allowing five hits.
Aaron Civale (4-9), pitching for the first time since Sept. 8, allowed just a hit in three innings of relief to get his first win with the Cubs and his first since Aug. 2, when he played for the Chicago White Sox.
Ramirez (1-3) pitched just two-thirds of an inning but was charged with the three runs, none earned.
Jared Triolo went 2-for-5 and Nick Gonzalez went 2-for-4 for Pittsburgh, who lost their fourth straight.
–Field Level Media
