PITTSBURGH — No matter how many times Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ returns to PNC Park, the experience is special.
The Pittsburgh native always has family and friends in the stands when the Cubs are in town. On Friday night that included his high school baseball coach sitting behind the on-deck circle watching Happ help lead the Cubs to a 7-2 win over the Pirates.
There are still moments when Happ will look up high to the left-field stands where he would sit with his $9 tickets to watch his hometown Pirates.
“It’s just really special,” Happ said. “Really cool, full circle.”
Happ had two hits in the victory, including an RBI double in the seventh inning to give the Cubs a three-run lead, to continue his hot hitting at PNC Park. Happ extended his major-league-record streak of 60 straight starts reaching safely against the Pirates dating to Sept. 26, 2018. In 52 career games at PNC, he is hitting .289 with 19 doubles, one triple, six home runs and 27 RBIs.
And to top off his multihit night, Happ’s home run robbery for the second out of the ninth came off the bat of Andrew McCutchen, whom he rooted for as a teen after the slugger debuted for the Pirates in 2009. Happ perfectly played the long drive to left field to prevent a two-run homer, giving a boost, too, for struggling reliever Adbert Alzolay and a much-needed scoreless ninth.
“I felt bad — I have so much respect for him,” Happ said of McCutchen. “Hitting that ball and bringing it back, but he’s a phenomenal player who’s had a great career.”
Perhaps the comfort of returning to his home city gets Happ on a roll. Friday represented Happ’s third multihit game in May after having only four such games through April. The Cubs (23-16) would benefit from the offense stepping up and taking pressure off the pitching staff, especially a rotation that has carried a significant load so far. Cody Bellinger has been locked in since coming off the injured list Tuesday, posting a four-hit game Friday with his second homer in three games. Seiya Suzuki was activated from the IL and is expected to return to the lineup Saturday, giving them another power bat in the heart of the order.
The Cubs took a one-run lead into the seventh and tacked on four runs in the frame.
“For us just as an offense as a whole, 14 hits, guys coming through some big, late RBIs to add on runs, like, we can do that, we’re a very good offense,” Happ said. “We have the ability to keep adding on, that’s what good teams do. You get a three-run lead and you keep adding on. Just really good to see it.”
Three errors — two by third baseman Christopher Morel and one by first baseman Michael Busch — contributed to starter Javier Assad’s higher pitch count that forced him out of the game after 89 pitches in 4 1/3 innings. He stayed composed, though, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits. Right-hander Ben Brown, who hadn’t pitched since May 2, gave the offense a chance to push runs across against the Pirates bullpen behind 3 2/3 shutout innings, one walk and six strikeouts to give the rookie his first big-league win.
“It was a wonderful outing by Ben,” manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s was really crisp today and just throwing a ton of strikes, and the breaking ball was going really, really good. We saw some funky swings and they were uncomfortable with it so that was a big outing and it was kind of unique outing.”
The Cubs have had a knack for players stepping up each time they have been dealt an injury blow through the first six weeks. Nick Madrigal is the latest to receive an opportunity for extended playing time after shortstop Dansby Swanson landed on the 10-day IL on Friday with a sprained right knee. The injury forces Nico Hoerner to be the starting shortstop while Swanson is out, creating more regular at-bats for Madrigal at second base.
He came through with two outs in the seventh, slicing a two-strike, 94.5-mph fastball from Pirates reliever Hunter Stratton to the opposite field for a two-run single and 7-2 lead.
“Hopefully some more semiregular at-bats gets him nights like tonight,” Counsell said. “Runners in scoring position with Nick, you know he’s going to get some balls through eventually.”
Madrigal has tried to stay ready with inconsistent at-bats by taking more swings in the cage. Friday’s series opener was just the fourth time Madrigal was in the starting lineup since April 25.
“I was just trying to battle,” Madrigal said of his two-run single. “I feel like I’ve been just missing balls the last week or so, but I’m just trying to get back to the basics and not do too much and luckily with two strikes I was able to find a hole.
“When I try to do too much is when I overswing or just miss the ball, so just really simplifying it.”
