Pirates Edge Cubs In Extra Innings As Rivalry Heats Up
Pirates Edge Cubs In Extra Innings As Rivalry Heats Up...
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-4 in a 10-inning thriller at Wrigley Field on Monday night, reigniting one of baseball's oldest NL Central rivalries. The game is trending nationally as fans debate a controversial umpire call in the 9th inning that nearly cost Pittsburgh the win.
Rookie shortstop Oneil Cruz delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 10th, capping a back-and-forth battle that saw five lead changes. Cubs manager David Ross was ejected in the 7th inning for arguing balls and strikes, adding fuel to the heated contest watched by 36,742 fans.
The pivotal moment came in the bottom of the 9th when home plate umpire Dan Bellino called strike three on Chicago's Seiya Suzuki with the bases loaded. Replays showed the pitch appeared outside the zone, sparking outrage from Cubs players and fans. MLB's replay center upheld the call.
Pirates closer David Bednar stranded two runners in the 10th to secure the win, improving Pittsburgh to 7-4 on the season. The Cubs fell to 5-6 despite Christopher Morel's two home runs. The teams meet again Tuesday night in the second of this three-game series.
Social media erupted after the game, with #CubsRobbed trending on Twitter as Chicago fans voiced frustration. MLB's official account posted the controversial strike three pitch, which garnered over 1.2 million views in two hours. The Pirates-Cubs rivalry dates back to 1887 and remains one of baseball's most storied matchups.
Monday's game drew strong TV ratings on ESPN, outperforming typical April weekday baseball broadcasts. The network's Statcast data showed Pirates starter Mitch Keller hit 98.7 mph on his fastball, his hardest-thrown pitch of 2026. Cubs starter Justin Steele left after five innings with tightness in his left forearm.
The series continues Tuesday at 7:40 PM CT with Pittsburgh's Marco Gonzales facing Chicago's Jameson Taillon. Both teams entered the series tied for second place in the NL Central behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
