The Pirates snatched a gritty 3-2 victory from the Cubs on Friday afternoon, riding clutch hits and lockdown relief pitching to edge Chicago in a tight matinee. Pittsburgh's offense struggled to find rhythm for most of the game, striking out 10 times against Cubs pitching, but Jack Suwinski's towering solo homer in the 6th inning proved decisive. The veteran Andrew McCutchen delivered the game's other big blow with an RBI single, while Jared Triolo's two-hit performance kept pressure on Chicago's bullpen. Pittsburgh's relievers answered the call after Braxton Ashcraft's solid five-inning start, with Dennis Santana and Isaac Mattson combining for 2.2 scoreless frames to preserve the narrow lead.

The Cubs fought back behind Pete Crow-Armstrong's perfect 3-for-3 day, including an RBI single, but couldn't overcome a quiet afternoon from their middle-of-the-order bats. Seiya Suzuki's leadoff double in the 8th sparked Chicago's final threat, only for Pittsburgh's bullpen to slam the door. The loss drops the Cubs in a tight division race, while the Pirates gain crucial momentum in their push for a wild card spot.