PITTSBURGH – The home run ball has been a problem for Jameson Taillon all season and the long ball plagued the Cubs' veteran right-hander again on Sunday.
The Pirates hit three home runs off Taillon in the first three innings, including Ryan O'Hearn's third inning grand slam, and went on to beat the Cubs 8-7 at PNC Park. The Cubs missed a chance to sweep the three-game series but haven’t lost a series in Pittsburgh since 2022.
After the Cubs went ahead 1-0 in the top of the second inning on Dansby Swanson’s single, the Pirates homered twice in the bottom of the inning to move in front 3-1. Esmerlyn Valdez led off with a homer and fellow rookie Shawn Ross connected for his first MLB home run, a two-run shot, later in the inning.
O’Hearn then hit his grand slam in the following inning, on his 33rd birthday, to increase the lead to 7-1.
Taillon (2-6) lasted four innings and gave up seven runs and six hits while striking out three and walking two. Taillon has surrendered 25 homers in 76 innings this season.
Taillon is winless in his last nine starts.
Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner and rookie Pedro Ramirez had two hits each for the Cubs, but they were unable to erase the early six-run deficit. The Cubs did get within 8-5 on an RBI single by Hoerner but stranded runners on first and second.