PITTSBURGH — The Cubs’ road trip through Detroit and Pittsburgh presented an opportunity for the team to keep gaining ground in the postseason hunt. The North Siders took care of business, winning five of seven games to set up an important series against the division-leading Brewers back home at Wrigley Field.
On Sunday, a stellar start from Javier Assad and key offensive contributions from Cody Bellinger, Jeimer Candelario and Seiya Suzuki paved the way for a 10-1 win over the Pirates. The Cubs are four games back of the Brewers.
Assad limited Pittsburgh to one run over seven innings, giving the right-hander a 2.48 ERA in five outings since moving back into the rotation. Over his past 15 appearances, Assad has posted a 1.69 ERA in 53 1/3 innings of work.
Bellinger finished the afternoon with three hits and five RBIs. Candelario’s two-run homer off Bailey Falter in the fourth inning gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead, after which they did not look back. And Suzuki, who is riding a career-best 10-game hitting streak, reached base four times, doubled twice and scored two runs, including hustling home on a comebacker to the mound in the eighth.