Imanaga continues dominance of Bucs; PCA's 4-hit effort paces Cubs' rout

PITTSBURGH – It seemed more like Wrigley Field without the ivy Saturday night than a sellout crowd at PNC Park.

It is hard to know exactly how many Cubs fans were in the stands, but it seemed like a lot. Their favorite team gave them plenty to cheer for as the Cubs rolled to an 11-0 victory.

“We travel so well and have such great fans that anytime you can hear them cheer and get behind you, then you know you’re doing something right,” center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong said with a smile. “They had a lot to be happy about tonight.”

And perhaps a reason to continue being happy on Sunday when the Cubs can sweep the three-game series against their National League Central rivals.

Shota Imanaga (7-8) continued his career-long domination of the Pirates as he pitched six scoreless innings. The left-hander allowed four hits while striking out four and walking one. Javier Assad pitched the last three innings to complete the shutout and earn his first save this season.

“I thought Shota was good for sure,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “They were super aggressive against him, and I think he took advantage of that. I thought he made good pitches with his whole arsenal and used everything well.”

Imanaga has allowed only one run to the Pirates over six starts and 38 innings during his three-year career. However, he claims to have no secret formula for that success.

“They’ve had some of the same hitters the last three years. I think that [familiarity] helps,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “But they also have some new hitters, and I try to study them and come up with a good game plan.”

The Pirates are perplexed by Imanaga’s dominance.

“It’s frustrating. I know our guys are frustrated, too,” Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said. "The success that he’s had, and we need to find a way to make adjustments against him. He’s pitched really well against us, changes speeds, throws the split off the fastball. In the outing he had in Chicago earlier this year, we were able to get his pitch count up and get him out of the game. We just have not had success.”

Imanaga also had plenty of run support after 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes held the Cubs scoreless through the first four innings while striking out nine. The Cubs scored three runs off Skenes in the fifth and chased him during a five-run sixth that stretched the lead to 8-0.

Crow-Armstrong led the Cubs’ 16-hit attack as he went 4-for-5 with two doubles, his 23rd home run, three runs scored and three RBIs. Crow-Armstrong’s two-run shot in the seventh inning pushed the lead to 10-0.

Michael Busch added three hits, and Pedro Ramírez, Dansby Swanson and Miguel Amaya had two hits apiece.

Crow-Armstrong broke a scoreless tie by hitting a double off the right-center-field wall in the fifth. Seiya Suzuki followed by lining a two-run single to right field.

The Cubs sent 11 batters to the plate against three pitchers during their five-run sixth. Dansby Swanson doubled in a run, and Amaya and Busch each hit a two-run single.

James Triantos (Cubs' No. 11 prospect) had his first career hit when he singled in the eighth inning in his MLB debut and scored on Ramírez’s double. Triantos was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Friday.

“It never gets old hearing our fans cheering on the road and us playing well in an opposing stadium,” Crow-Armstrong said.