Happ plays hero again as Cubs grab badly needed back-to-back wins

PITTSBURGH -- The Cubs couldn’t win a game for almost two weeks. Now, they’ve won twice in as many nights, and Ian Happ was the hero each time.

Happ had three hits, including a two-run home run, as the Cubs beat the Pirates, 7-2, on Thursday at PNC Park to split the four-game series against their NL Central foe. That came a night after the Cubs notched a 10-4 victory to end a 10-game losing streak.

Happ’s two-run blast in the eighth made it 5-2, giving the Cubs some breathing room before a third run in the inning scored on a passed ball. On Wednesday, Happ played a big role in snapping the Cubs’ skid by hitting a go-ahead three-run homer in a six-run seventh inning.

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“We needed this,” winning pitcher Colin Rea said. “After you win one game, you want to win another. You always have to take it one day at a time in this game, but when you go through the stretch we did, you can’t help but wonder what the next couple of weeks will look like.

“We still have to take it one day at a time, but you'd like to think we can string some more wins together.”

Seiya Suzuki had two hits and a pair of RBIs as the Cubs beat 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes. Suzuki singled in the game’s first run in the fourth inning.

“I haven’t been hitting well lately, but I’ve tried to take what I’ve been working on, stay relaxed, and try to do the same thing in the game,” Suzuki said via his interpreter, Edwin Stanberry.

The right fielder then hustled to cap a two-run sixth inning that pushed the Cubs’ lead to three runs and chased Skenes from the game. The frame was aided by throwing errors from third baseman Tyler Callihan and shortstop Jared Triolo, though. Suzuki looked like he would hit into an inning-ending double play, but hurried down the line to beat the relay throw to first, allowing Alex Bregman to score.

Suzuki also understood the importance of back-to-back wins.

“It wasn’t like the mood was bad with this team when we were losing,” Suzuki said. “Something just kind of clicked [on Wednesday night], and it just carried over. To get two wins in a row, we’re feeling good about it, but now we have to move to the next series.”

The Cubs’ (31-26) NL Central road trip continues on Friday night with the opener of a three-game series in St. Louis (29-25).

Rea (5-3) didn’t allow the Pirates to get on the board until Bryan Reynolds went yard to begin the sixth. The Buccos tacked on when Callihan doubled in a run later in the frame to cut the deficit to one, but the Cubs’ bullpen shut down Pittsburgh from there on out.

Hoby Milner, Caleb Thielbar and Trent Thornton combined for 3 2/3 scoreless relief innings.

Rea pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out five.

“He gave us exactly what we needed,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Skenes is tough, and you’re not going to have many scoring chances against him. We took advantage of some opportunities, and Colin kept us in the game.”