Jon Lester got off to a rough start giving up a first inning home run to Kevin Newman, but would settle down and end up throwing six solid innings scattering four hits while striking out four.
Steven Brault shut down the Cubs early throwing three perfect innings before being pulled for Chad Kuhl.
Kuhl would be pulled for injury in the fifth but not before allowing back to back doubles to Willson Contreras and Kyle Schwarber to tie the game.
In a nice change of pace the Cubs bullpen was excellent today. Casey Sadler started off by striking out two in his first inning of work. Although he got in trouble in the eighth Dan Winkler would bail him out by striking out Colin Moran on three pitches.
Winkler would get out of a runner on second and one out jam in the second, but the game would be put in an hour and four minute rain delay. The Cubs would do nothing aside from a two out walk sending the game to extras and the first time the Cubs were faced with the free runner rule.
Josh Bell would lead off the tenth with a single and Joey Cora sent the Pirates free runner Jacob Stallings home, but Kyle Schwarber would throw him out at the plate.
The Pirates wouldn't score, and the Cubs would put themselves in great position to win with runners on second and third with one out. The Cubs wasted the chance when Albert Almora Jr. struck out and David Bote popped out.
The Cubs would get the Pirates free runner out again in the eleventh, and in the bottom of the eleventh Anthony Rizzo would fly out advancing David Bote and Javier Baez would send em home with a walk off RBI single.
The Cubs welcome the Royals into town for what is essentially a four game series with two games in each ballpark. Alec Mills will look to follow up a great first start against veteran Royals lefty Danny Duffy in a game that starts at 7:15.
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