The Pittsburgh Pirates erased a one-run deficit and beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 in nine innings on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at Wrigley Field. Bryan Reynolds went 2-for-4 with an RBI, Jake Mangum added two hits, and Mason Montgomery slammed the door in the ninth to earn the save. The win came in a division matchup, making it a meaningful September pickup against a National League Central rival. Bubba Chandler earned the win despite a rocky outing, and the Pirates bullpen held the line when it counted most.

Pirates Offense Does Enough Against Cubs Pitching

Pittsburgh's offense got contributions up and down the lineup, with Reynolds and Mangum each going 2-for-3 or better. Reynolds drove in a run on his two hits, providing a steady presence at the plate. Mangum went 2-for-3, keeping innings alive and giving the Pirates the kind of table-setting production they needed against a Cubs staff that mixed in multiple arms.

For Chicago, Miguel Amaya was the offensive standout, launching a home run and driving in two runs on 2-for-3 hitting. Michael Busch also went 2-for-4 for the Cubs. But the Cubs could not push across the runs they needed late, and the Pirates made them pay for it.

Bubba Chandler Earns Win Despite Giving Up Three Runs

Chandler's line was not pretty — 5.1 innings, five hits, four walks, three earned runs, and three strikeouts — but he kept the Cubs from blowing the game open, and Pittsburgh's offense gave him enough support to come away with the decision. It was the kind of outing where a starter survives rather than dominates, and the bullpen behind him had to be ready.

Carmen Mlodzinski worked 1.2 scoreless innings, allowing no hits while issuing two walks. Luke Weaver followed with a clean inning — no hits, no walks, no runs. Montgomery closed it out with a perfect ninth, recording no hits, no walks, and no runs to lock down the save. The back-end work was essential to preserving the one-run lead.

Matthew Boyd Takes the Loss for Chicago

Cubs starter Matthew Boyd had a difficult afternoon, surrendering four earned runs on seven hits over 5.1 innings. He struck out three and walked two, but Pittsburgh's lineup was able to string together enough contact to do damage. Aaron Civale and Caleb Thielbar followed Boyd out of the Cubs bullpen and pitched scoreless baseball, but Daniel Palencia's clean inning in relief could not change the outcome — the deficit was already set.

Turning Point: Pirates Overcome One-Run Deficit

The game data confirms Pittsburgh came back from a one-run deficit to win, making the late innings the decisive stretch. With Mlodzinski, Weaver, and Montgomery combining for 2.2 scoreless innings after Chandler exited, the Pirates protected their lead and never let Chicago back into the game. That bullpen sequence — covering the final three frames without allowing a run — was the clearest turning point of the afternoon.

Key Performances at a Glance

  • Bryan Reynolds: 2-for-4, 1 RBI
  • Jake Mangum: 2-for-3, 0 RBI
  • Bubba Chandler (W): 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 4 BB, 3 K
  • Carmen Mlodzinski: 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 K
  • Luke Weaver: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB
  • Mason Montgomery (SV): 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB
  • Miguel Amaya (CHC): 2-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI

What's Next for the Pirates

The Pirates pick up a division win heading deeper into September 2026. Every game against NL Central opponents carries weight at this point in the season, and this road victory over the Cubs is a solid result. Pittsburgh will look to carry this momentum into their next series as the regular season winds toward its conclusion.