PITTSBURGH (AP) – John Jaso hit for the cycle and drove in five runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.
Jaso tripled off Chicago reliever Pedro Strop in the seventh inning to clinch the first cycle in the history of PNC Park and the first for the Pirates since 2004. Jaso’s final hit was a fly ball to center field. At first he hesitated rounding second base but went on and the throw from Albert Almora Jr. was up the third base line.
Jaso performed the feat in just four at-bats. The last Pirate to hit for the cycle was Daryle Ward on May 26, 2004, in St. Louis. The last Pirates’ home cycle was by Jason Kendall on May 19, 2000, against the Cardinals at Three Rivers Stadium.
Against Chicago starter Jake Arrieta (18-8), Jaso singled in the second inning, hit a three-run home run in the fourth and doubled in the fifth. Arrieta went five innings and allowed 10 hits and seven runs, both season highs.
Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (5-4) allowed one hit and struck out four in six innings.
Chicago’s Anthony Rizzo hit a solo homer, his 32nd of the season.
OH, CANADA
The Pirates announced that they will play a two-game preseason series in Montreal against the Toronto Blue Jays March 31 and April 1, 2017. The Pirates haven’t played in Montreal since 2013.
TRAINING ROOM
Cubs: OF Chris Coghlan left the game with a mild left ankle sprain. He ran into the wall in left field attempting to catch a fly ball in the fifth inning. . Manager Joe Maddon expects OF Jorge Soler (right side) to be able to play this weekend.
Pirates: After being officially eliminated from the playoffs Tuesday, the Pirates will shut injured reliever Neftali Feliz down for the season, and will be “backing away” from C Francisco Cervelli, according to manager Clint Hurdle. Cervelli had hamate surgery in July and has dealt with several minor injuries all year. . OF Gregory Polanco did not play with a stiff neck. He had previously missed three games with a facial contusion following a collision with the wall in left field.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Rob Zastryzny (1-0, 0.79 ERA) will make his first career start. In seven career appearances, his longest outing is 3 2/3 innings. Zastryzny started 14 games for Triple-A Iowa this season with a 7-3 record and a 4.22 ERA.
Pirates: Ivan Nova (12-8, 4.37 ERA) has lost two straight starts after winning his first five decisions with the Pirates since coming over from the New York Yankees at the trade deadline. He has given up 11 runs (nine earned) and 18 hits over seven innings in his last two starts.
