Cubs snap 10-game skid with dominant victory over Pirates

The Chicago Cubs ended a 10-game losing streak with a 10-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Wednesday night. The result marked the team’s first win since May 15 and snapped their longest losing streak since 2022. The victory improved the Cubs’ record to 30-26, placing them second in the National League Central standings behind the Milwaukee Brewers.

Ian Happ was instrumental in the offensive output, recording a two-run single in the first inning and a three-run homer in the seventh. Happ has now reached base in 40 consecutive games against the Pirates. His performance helped the Cubs extend their lead significantly during the seventh inning, where they scored six runs to blow the game open.

Michael Conforto added a two-run homer in the seventh inning, followed by an RBI single from Michael Busch that extended the Cubs’ advantage to six runs. The team had jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the game before the decisive surge in the middle frames secured the win.

The Cubs had recorded two separate 10-game winning streaks earlier in the season, starting with a 27-12 record. The current losing streak followed a period where the team dropped 14 of their last 16 games. Had the Cubs lost on Wednesday, they would have matched the 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers for the longest losing streak after recording multiple 10-game winning streaks in the same season.

The National League Central remains tight, with no team holding a losing record below .500. The Cubs are scheduled to conclude the four-game series against the Pirates on Thursday before travelling to St Louis to face the Cardinals.