Cubs Beat Pirates, 8-2
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Albert Almora Jr. hit a two-run homer, Ian Happ had three hits and the Chicago Cubs rolled to an 8-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night.
The Cubs had 13 hits, including eight for extra bases, as the offense broke out after totaling four runs in the first three games of the series.
Happ singled and scored in the first, and Javier Baez hit a leadoff double in the second and came home on Rene Rivera's sacrifice bunt. Jason Heyward singled and was driven in by pitcher Jon Lester's double in the fourth. Baez and Heyward then drove in Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist with back-to-back singles in the fifth.
Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (7-6) lasted just 4 2/3 innings while giving up six runs and 11 hits. Taillon struck out three.
Lester (10-7) worked around traffic in his first four innings but settled down to go six innings with one run and five hits allowed. He struck out five and walked four.
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