Happ homers again and Skenes loses his 3rd straight start as the Cubs sink the Pirates 7-2

Posted May 28, 2026 9:09 pm

By JOHN PERROTTO

PITTSBURGH — Ian Happ homered for the second consecutive game and the Chicago Cubs handed Paul Skenes his third straight loss with a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.

The win came one night after the Cubs ended a 10-game losing streak. Happ hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh inning of that game.

Happ had three hits on Thursday, including a two-run homer in the eighth that pushed the Cubs’ lead to 5-2. He has reached base safely in 41 games in the city where he grew up. Seiya Suzuki had two hits and two RBI for Chicago.

Skenes (6-5) lost his third straight start despite striking out 10 in 5⅓ innings. The 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner fanned six batters in a row from the first to the third.

Only one of the three runs against Skenes was earned, as third baseman Tyler Callihan and shortstop Jared Triolo made throwing errors in a two-run sixth inning that extended the Cubs’ lead to 3-0.

Colin Rea (5-3) won for the first time in five starts, allowing two runs in 5⅓ innings. Hoby Milner, Caleb Thielbar and Trent Thornton combined for 3⅔ innings of scoreless relief.

Bryan Reynolds homered for the Pirates.

Pittsburgh third baseman Nick Gonzales exited after the third inning with left knee discomfort.

The Cubs open a three-game series Friday night at St. Louis with Shota Imanaga (4-5, 4.04 ERA) facing Andre Pallante (5-4, 3.76).

Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch (29) is greeted by Seiya Suzuki after scoring on a single by Ian Happ off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ returns to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Brandan Bidois during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong, left, gets his hand on home plate before Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Henry Davis (32) can apply a tag to score on a fielder's choice hit into by Alex Bregman off pitcher Yohan Ramírez during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)