Jack Suwinski’s 9th-Inning Homer Lifts Pittsburgh Pirates Over Chicago Cubs 3-2 on August 15, 2025

Friday, August 15th, 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates Edge Chicago Cubs 3-2 with Jack Suwinski’s Ninth-Inning Homer

The Pittsburgh Pirates secured a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, thanks to a dramatic tiebreaking solo home run by Jack Suwinski in the ninth inning. The Pirates snapped their five-game losing streak, while the Cubs continued to struggle with their fourth loss in five games.

Game Highlights

Jack Suwinski, a Chicago native, launched his third homer of the season by sending Daniel Palencia’s 1-1 fastball into the left-field bleachers. This decisive hit broke the tie and proved to be the game-winner for the Pirates.

Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs ended his prolonged slump by going 3-for-3, delivering his first RBI since July 30. However, despite his performance at the plate, he was thrown out twice on the bases—once attempting to stretch a single into a double and again while trying to steal during the ninth inning.

Andrew McCutchen and Isaiah Kiner-Falefa each contributed RBI doubles for Pittsburgh, helping to keep the offense moving. For the Cubs, Matt Shaw delivered a sacrifice fly, while the team remained eight games out of first place in the NL Central behind Milwaukee.

Pitching Matchup

Pirates rookie Braxton Ashcraft held the Cubs to one run on three hits over five innings, striking out four without allowing a walk in his longest outing. Cubs starter Colin Rea matched that effort with one run allowed on three hits and no walks over his own five-inning start. Dennis Santana recorded the final four outs for the Pirates to claim the win.

Scoring Summary

Pittsburgh struck first in the fourth inning with an RBI double from McCutchen. Crow-Armstrong’s RBI single quickly tied the game in the bottom half. In the seventh, Kiner-Falefa’s RBI double briefly put the Pirates up again, but Shaw’s sacrifice fly tied the contest at 2-2. The deciding run came in the ninth, when Suwinski’s solo home run sealed the Pirates’ victory.

Key Moment

The Cubs loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh inning but managed only one run. After Shaw’s sacrifice fly, Pirates reliever Isaac Mattson induced pop outs from pinch hitter Carson Kelly and Justin Turner to escape the jam, preserving the tie.

Key Stat

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s double marked his first extra-base hit since August 1, providing a rare bright spot for the Cubs during his recent struggles.

Looking Ahead

The series continues on Saturday with Pirates right-hander Mike Burrows (1-4, 4.66 ERA) scheduled to oppose Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga (8-5, 3.19 ERA) at Wrigley Field.

In summary

The Pittsburgh Pirates pulled off a narrow 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs, highlighted by Jack Suwinski’s clutch ninth-inning home run. Strong performances by both starting pitchers—Braxton Ashcraft and Colin Rea—kept the game tight throughout. Pete Crow-Armstrong broke out of his hitting slump for the Cubs with a three-hit game. Ultimately, timely hitting and effective relief pitching propelled the Pirates to victory as the series continues in Chicago.

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