05/26/26 09:24:00
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05/26 21:23 CDT Esmerlyn Valdez's homer caps five-run first, Pirates send
skidding Cubs to 10th straight loss 12-1
Esmerlyn Valdez's homer caps five-run first, Pirates send skidding Cubs to 10th
straight loss 12-1
By JOHN PERROTTO
Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) --- Esmerlyn Valdez hit a two-run home run to cap a five-run
first inning on Tuesday night and the Pittsburgh Pirates routed the skidding
Cubs 12-1 to extend Chicago's losing streak to 10 games.
The rookie became the seventh player in Pirates' history to hit two home runs
within the first four games of his major league career and the first since
Austin Meadows in 2018.
The Cubs are just the second team in major league history to have two 10-game
winning streaks and one 10-game losing streak in the same season, joining the
2017 Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
It is also the Cubs' longest losing streak since 2022.
Braxton Ashcraft (4-3) allowed one run on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings while
striking out five and walking one. He is 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA in five starts in
May.
Valdez's homer gave the Pirates a 5-0 lead after Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run
double earlier in the first off Jordan Wicks (0-1), who was recalled from
Triple-A Iowa on Sunday to bolster an injury-depleted rotation. Wicks was
rocked for eight runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Spencer Horwitz also homered for the Pirates, who won their third consecutive
game. Oneil Cruz had three hits and Brandon Lowe, Reynolds, Nick Gonzales and
Horwitz added two each. Valdez drove in three runs.
Konnor Griffin, a 20-year-old rookie shortstop, became the youngest leadoff
hitter for the Pirates since 1952. He was 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs
scored.
The Cubs' Alex Bregman and Carson Kelly had two hits each. Chicago went 1 for
12 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners.
Up next
Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (2-4, 5.20 ERA) faces rookie RHP Bubba Chandler (1-6,
4.60) on Wednesday night in the third game of the four-game series.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
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