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McCutchen, Pirates top Cubs

Pittsburgh,  PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Andrew McCutchen smacked a two-run homer and  the Pittsburgh  Pirates  defeated the  Chicago Cubs,  4-2,  in the  third installment of a four-game set.

Brandon  Cumpton (2-2)  allowed two runs on  five hits and two walks over five innings  for the Pirates, who have taken two of the first three in the series. Jordy Mercer posted three hits and a run scored in the victory.

"We  just gotta stay consistent," McCutchen said. "We actually played a little sloppy of a game today so for us to be able to scratch this win out was a plus for us because we could have easily lost that one."

Jason  Hammel (6-4)  surrendered four runs on  11 hits and two walks over five frames for Chicago, which has dropped three of its last four on the heels of a five-game winning streak.

"I  thought,  all-in-all, for the way  he had to grind  it out, he did a great job," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said of Hammel.

The  game was tied  2-2 before the Pirates plated a run in the home second and another in the third to go ahead.

Mercer  hit a  one-out double, Cumpton singled  and Josh Harrison was hit by a pitch  to load  the bases.  Mercer came  home on  Gregory Polanco's  groundout to first.

Pedro  Alvarez  belted a one-out  triple to center in  the third and scored on Starling Marte's base hit into center to give the Pirates a 4-2 advantage.

Nate  Schierholtz struck out  with the bases loaded to end the Cubs' threat in the fifth and they were held without a hit after that.

Mark  Melancon struck  out two in a  scoreless eighth and Jason Grilli fired a 1-2-3 ninth to notch his 10th save of the season.

Earlier,  Pittsburgh opened  the scoring  with a  pair of  runs in  the first. Harrison  worked a  leadoff walk and McCutchen skied his two-run shot into the seats in left.

John  Baker's  RBI single  and Darwin Barney's  run-scoring groundout tied the score in the second.

                                   Game Notes

Pittsburgh  was 2-for-12  with runners  in  scoring position,  while the Cubs finished  2-for-8  with RISP and left  eight men on base ... McCutchen's blast was his 10th of the season.

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