Central Plains FFA Chapter

09/13 16:22 CDT Brandon Lowe helps the Pirates top the Cubs 4-3 in series finale Brandon Lowe helps the Pirates top the Cubs 4-3 in series finale By JAY COHEN AP Baseball Writer CHICAGO (AP) --- Brandon Lowe hit a tiebreaking two-run single in Pittsburgh's three-run sixth inning, and the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Sunday to avoid a sweep of their weekend series. Bryan Reynolds had two hits for Pittsburgh, including an RBI single in the first. Carmen Mlodzinski, Luke Weaver and Mason Montgomery combined for 3 2/3 hitless innings in relief of Bubba Chandler (8-9). The Pirates (75-75) closed out a 4-2 stay in Chicago. They swept the White Sox before dropping two of three against the Cubs. Miguel Amaya homered for Chicago, and Michael Busch had two hits. Matthew Boyd (8-5) allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings in his second straight loss. The Cubs (83-67) dropped into a tie with Philadelphia for the top spot in the NL wild-card standings. Montgomery worked a perfect ninth for his 13th save in 15 chances. The Pirates had a 3-2 lead on Saturday before a wild Gregory Soto surrendered two runs in the eighth inning of a 4-3 loss. Chicago jumped in front in the series finale on Amaya's sixth homer, a two-run drive to left with two out in the fifth. It was his first homer since Aug. 16. Pittsburgh responded with three runs in the sixth. Reynolds reached on a leadoff walk and scored on Nick Gonzales' ground-rule double. With one out and the bases loaded, Lowe made it 4-2 when he drove in Rafael Flores Jr. and Gonzales with a pinch-hit liner to center off Aaron Civale. Chicago closed to 4-3 on Nico Hoerner's grounder to second in the bottom half. But the Cubs left the bases loaded when Pedro Ramrez flied to right against Mlodzinski, ending the inning.

Up next Pirates: Following an off day, the Pirates host the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night in the opener of a nine-game homestand. Cubs: LHP David Peterson (7-8, 5.28 ERA) starts on Monday night against Atlanta. RHP Reynaldo Lpez (4-4, 4.13) takes the mound for the visiting Braves. ___ See AP's full MLB coverage here