The Pittsburgh Pirates fell 4-3 to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Saturday, September 12, 2026, dropping a one-run division game that slipped away in the ninth inning. Gregory Soto took the loss after allowing two earned runs on one hit and two walks without recording all three outs in his inning of work, handing the Cubs a comeback win. Paul Skenes was sharp for seven innings but left without the decision, and Ryan O'Hearn gave Pittsburgh its best offensive punch with a solo home run and three RBI. In a tight division matchup, every game counts, and this one stung.

Paul Skenes Gives Pittsburgh a Quality Start, Offense Falls Short

Skenes was the story through the first seven innings. He went seven full frames, allowed just four hits and one walk, surrendered two earned runs, and struck out four. That is the kind of outing that wins a lot of baseball games. On this Saturday, it was not enough.

The Pittsburgh offense generated just three runs against a Cubs pitching staff that used four arms over nine innings. O'Hearn did the heavy lifting, going 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI — accounting for all three Pittsburgh runs. Outside of O'Hearn, the Pirates could not string together enough to put the Cubs away.

Cubs Offense Gets Production From Busch and Ramírez

Chicago got contributions from two bats that proved decisive. Michael Busch went 1-for-3 with a home run and one RBI. Pedro Ramírez was even more productive, going 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Those two performances combined gave the Cubs the foundation of their four-run total and were enough to hold off Pittsburgh's late push.

Starter Clay Holmes pitched 5.2 innings for Chicago, allowing two earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts and four walks. The Cubs bullpen — Jacob Webb, Ryan Rolison, and Ryan Zeferjahn — combined to shut down Pittsburgh the rest of the way. Rolison earned the win with 1.2 scoreless innings, and Zeferjahn picked up the save with a strikeout in his one-third of an inning of work.

Turning Point: The Ninth Inning Unravels for Pittsburgh

The game turned in the ninth. Soto came on in relief and could not hold the score. He allowed two earned runs on one hit and two walks before recording just one out, and that was enough for the Cubs to complete the comeback from a one-run deficit. Ryan Zeferjahn closed the door, and the Pirates walked off the field on the wrong side of a 4-3 final.

That kind of ninth-inning collapse is the type of loss that is hard to shake in September. Skenes did his job. O'Hearn did more than his share. The bullpen, specifically Soto, gave it back.

Key Performances at a Glance

  • Ryan O'Hearn (PIT): 1-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI
  • Paul Skenes (PIT): 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
  • Pedro Ramírez (CHC): 2-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI
  • Michael Busch (CHC): 1-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI
  • Gregory Soto (PIT, loss): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
  • Ryan Rolison (CHC, win): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
  • Ryan Zeferjahn (CHC, save): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

What's Next for the Pirates

Pittsburgh will look to bounce back as this series with Chicago continues. After a quality start from Skenes went unrewarded and the bullpen faltered late, the Pirates need to find a way to protect leads and close out division opponents. These are the games that define where a team stands in September, and Saturday's result was a step in the wrong direction.