Pirates take first game, 5-4, in doubleheader with Cubs

PITTSBURGH Pedro Florimon scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs, 5-4, Tuesday in the first game of a doubleheader at PNC Park.

The Pirates lead the Cubs in the wild-card standings by five games, but the teams play six more games against each other, including Tuesday night’s game. A suspended game Aug. 3 necessitated the doubleheader.

After Pedro Alvarez walked to begin the bottom of the eighth, Florimon pinch-ran for him. Florimon stole second, forcing a throwing error by Miguel Montero that sent Florimon to third. Starling Marte’s hard line drive at left fielder Austin Jackson was deep enough for Florimon to score and the Pirates took a 5-4 lead.

Mark Melancon saved his 46th game, tying Mike Williams for the Pirates’ club record. Williams saved 46 games in 2002.

In 6 1/3 innings, Gerrit Cole allowed four runs, three earned, and six hits, but he pitched better than his line indicated. He struck out eight without a walk. The Cubs hadn’t faced Cole, their likely opponent in a possible wild-card game between the two teams, since May 15, and his performance refreshed their memory in a hurry. After allowing a first-inning unearned run on an infield single, a throwing error and a sacrifice fly Cole (17-8) dominated for five innings.

His start ended abruptly in the seventh. Montero’s one-out single bounced off a diving Alvarez’s glove and Starlin Castro’s grounder hit Cole in the leg, resulting in an infield single. Pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella doubled, cutting the lead to 4-2.

In came Joakim Soria, who proceeded to throw two wild pitches with a runner on third that allowed the Cubs to tie the game at 4.

Dexter Fowler, the game’s first batter, reached on an infield single. He made it to third when he took off for second and Chris Stewart threw high, and Chris Coghlan’s sacrifice fly drove him home.

The Pirates knocked Cubs starter Jason Hammel from the game with two outs in the fourth. He allowed four runs, three of them in the first inning.

Hammel threw 28 pitches, 14 strikes, to eight batters in the first inning. He walked Gregory Polanco and hit Neil Walker before Andrew McCutchen’s single drove in a run.

Pedro Alvarez walked to load the bases and Travis Snider rolled a ground-ball single up the middle to put the Pirates ahead, 3-1.

Cole singled in the fourth and later scored on Neil Walker’s double.

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