The Chicago Cubs are piling up runs and winning games in impressive fashion.
The Cubs have scored 99 runs while winning nine of their past 10 games. Chicago looks to keep the explosive offense cranking when it opens a three-game set against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.
The sudden burst has moved the Cubs (71-66) back into the race for the third and final wild-card spot in the National League. Chicago is three games behind the Atlanta Braves — who hold the third spot — and two games behind the New York Mets.
The charge has been fueled by an offense that scored 14 or more runs on four occasions during a nine-game road trip. The assault included 41 runs in a three-game sweep of the Pirates to begin last week.
Sunday’s 14-1 rout of the Washington Nationals represented the Cubs’ sixth straight victory, the team’s best streak of the season.
Chicago had 18 hits — four by Dansby Swanson — and was 9-for-17 with runners in scoring position.
“Up and down the lineup, we had guys doing stuff,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said after Sunday’s win. “You can’t ask for anything more on offense than we got this trip.”
In the series in Pittsburgh, Chicago racked up 44 hits and stole 12 bases, including eight thefts in one game.
Seiya Suzuki was 8-for-15 with one homer, four RBIs, five runs and two walks, and Pete Crow-Armstrong was 7-for-12 with six runs, three RBIs and three walks.
The struggles continued for Pittsburgh (63-73) following the series as it lost two of three road games to the Cleveland Guardians.
The Pirates were two games above .500 after a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 3. They have since gone 7-19.
In Sunday’s 6-1 loss to Cleveland, the Pirates had just two hits, both coming to start the seventh inning.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa broke up Alex Cobb’s perfect game bid with an infield single off Cobb’s glove and Bryan Reynolds followed with a single. The Pirates scored later in the inning when Oneil Cruz stole second and Cleveland catcher Austin Hedges made a poor throw that allowed Kiner-Falefa to score from third.
“You know, the pitches we had to hit, we did not hit,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said.
Pirates rookie right-hander Jared Jones (5-7, 3.88 ERA) will look to fare better than he did in Tuesday’s 9-5 loss to the Cubs.
Jones served up two-run homers to Swanson and Suzuki during a five-run fourth inning that ended his night. He gave up five hits, three walks and struck out four.
Jones split two other starts against Chicago this season — both in May. Happ and Cody Bellinger homered off Jones in May.
Chicago right-hander Jameson Taillon (9-8, 3.85) beat his former organization on Aug. 26 when he gave up four runs and eight hits over 6 2/3 innings in an 18-8 victory.
Taillon, 32, fell to the Pirates on May 19 when he gave up three runs and six hits over 4 2/3 innings. He is 2-2 with a 5.96 ERA in four career starts against Pittsburgh.
