Cubs take 2 of 3 from Bucs in week 5 action that missed the publishing deadline

The division leading Chicago Cubs played host to the Pittsburgh Pirates and Manager Jesse Elicker. With the Pirates only 1 game out of first, the series set itself up as a crucial for both teams. With the Cubs hanging on to 1st place, the hope was that this series would not begin a typical Chicago swoon. Fortunately,the Cubs would still be in 1st place after it was all over.

Game 1

John Candelaria  W (2-0) vs Ken Holtzman L (1-1)
Pirates 10   Cubs  6

The Cubs would smack Candelaria around in the first two innings as they would score 3 runs on 6 hits. Holtzman would get smacked in the Bucs 4th and 5th innings as Pittsburgh would score 6 runs on 5 hits. The Pirates would add 3 more in the 7th as SS Jay Bell and RF Dave "the Cobra" Parker sparked the innings with HRs. Chicago would produce a rally of sorts in their part of the 7th and 8th innings, scoring 3 runs starred by a 2B Ryne Sandberg and a Rick Monday HR. The Cubs would be deflated when PH Barry Bonds would lead off the 9th with a large poke to center. The Cubs were shut down by Dave Giusti in the 9th....going down 1,2,3.

Game 2
Bob Friend L (0-1) vs Bill Hands W (3-0)
Pirates 3  Cubs 4

15 game hitting streak

Pittsburgh jumped on Hands quickly in the 1st as CF Andy Van Slyke, 3B Bobby Bonilla and RF Dave Parker started the game with singles to load the bases. Ralph Kiner would hit a sac fly and 1 run would be across. Willie Stargell would then single in 2 more.Pittsburgh would have a quick 3-0 lead. Friend would be rolling along until the 4th when  2B Ryne Sandberg, LF Hank Sauer and 3B Ron Santo led off the inning with singles. CF Rick Monday would cap the inning with his 5th HR of the year. Hands would close down the Bucs in the 5th and 6th and give way to Lee Smith and Bruce Sutter, who would shut down Pittsburgh the rest of the way.

Game 3
Doug Drabek L (2-2) vs Fergie Jenkins W (3-0)
Pirates 6  Cubs 8

Pittsburgh would score a run in the 1st on a Bobby Bonilla HR and Chicago would answer in the bottom half of the inning as a SS Ernie Banks double would score 2B Ryne Sandberg. In the 2nd, Pittsburgh would score 2 more highlighted by a 1B  Willie Stargell HR and a run scoring double by 2B Johnny Ray. The Cubs would answer with 2 of their own in the bottom half of the inning on a 2 run shot by 1B Bill Buckner. In the 4th LF Ralph KIner would put Pittsburgh up with his 3rd HR of the year. In the bottom of the inning, Chicago's  C Jody Davis would hit a 2 run shot and SS Ernie Banks would triple to score 2 and Chicago would get 4 in the inning. The Bucs would make it close in the 8th as they would score 2, but Chicago would add an insurance run in the inning.  Bruce Sutter would close out the game getting his 4th save of the year.

--submitted by Jim Walden--