Roberts hopes to learn from rough outing vs. Pirates

Cubs manager David Ross pulled starting pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. after 4 innings against the Pirates on Thursday and called on 24-year-old reliever Ethan Roberts to start the fifth.

With the Cubs nursing a 3-2 lead at Wrigley Field, Roberts began by striking out the first hitter he faced but then yielded a double to Hoy Park and then walked leadoff man Daniel Vogelbach.

Bryan Reynolds then struck out, but Roberts issued another walk, this time to Ke'Bryan Hayes.

Up came Yoshi Tsutsugo, who had hit into a 3-6-3 double play in his previous at-bat.

Roberts got ahead 0-2 in the count, then threw two 94-mph cutters, both of which were fouled off. After another cutter missed, Tsutsugo smacked a line drive to left field that scored the tying and go-ahead runs.

Pittsburgh went on to claim a 4-3 victory, sending the Cubs to their third straight loss.

Roberts, who has now walked 5 batters in 5 innings this season, was more upset with the walk to Hayes than he was with the go-ahead double.

"I know that I'm better than that and I want to throw that slider for a strike," said Roberts, who missed with back-to-back sliders on the second and third pitches to Hayes. "Because when you start throwing stuff for strikes, they start thinking. When you throw it for a ball they don't think. They just sit fastball."

Roberts said next time out he'll start attacking hitters more instead of nibbling at the corners.

"I've got to experience those moments," he said. "Next time I'm out, I'm gonna be confident, I'm gonna be pounding the zone."

The Cubs used five more relief pitchers the rest of the way, including David Robertson, who recorded his 900th career strikeout in the ninth.

Streak done:

Frank Schwindel saw his nine-game hitting streak come to an end against the Pirates. He went 0-for-3 but did draw a bases-loaded walk in the first inning, extending his RBI streak to five straight games.

Around the horn:

David Ross said LHP Wade Miley "threw a really good" bullpen session Wednesday. Miley, whom the Cubs picked up on waivers from Cincinnati in November, is on the 10-day IL with left elbow inflammation. Miley went 12-7 with a 3.32 ERA in 28 starts for the Reds next season. ... Patrick Wisdom came into Thursday's game with at least 1 extra-base hit in his last five games. It was the longest active streak in the majors.

He said it:

"He knows a couple phrases. He said he loves Chick-fil-A."

Frank Schwindel on how much English Seiya Suzuki can speak