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)

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 RBIs for Chicago.

Skenes (6-5) lost his third straight start despite striking out 10 in 5• 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 5• innings. Hoby Milner, Caleb Thielbar and Trent Thornton combined for 3ª innings of scoreless relief.

Bryan Reynolds homered for the Pirates.

Game notes

Pittsburgh third baseman Nick Gonzales exited after the third inning with left knee discomfort. … With the win, the Cubs are now 31-26 and move into second place behind Milwaukee. The Pirates are 29-28 and fall into last place, a game behind the Reds.

Up next

Cubs: Open a three-game series tonight at St. Louis with LHP Shota Imanaga (4-5, 4.04 ERA) facing RHP Andre Pallante (5-4, 3.76).

Pirates: Host the Minnesota Twins and former Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton in a three-game series beginning tonight. Pirates RHP Jared Jones will make his first major league appearance since 2024, a little more than a year after undergoing elbow surgery. RHP Taj Bradley (5-1, 2.77) starts for the Twins.

Griffin out

Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin was not in the starting lineup for Thursday’s game against the Cubs because of right forearm soreness.

Griffin was considered available for Thursday’s game, and the team said he is day to day.

The Pirates signed Griffin to a nine-year, $140-million contract in April. The 20-year-old is hitting .261 with four home runs and 12 stolen bases in 49 games.

Jared Triolo took Griffin’s place at shortstop in the finale of a four-game series.

Before Thursday’s game, the team recalled infielder Tyler Callihan from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez to the same club.

Also, right-hander Jared Jones will make his first MLB appearance since 2024 when he starts against the Minnesota Twins tonight.

Jones missed all of last season after injuring his elbow during spring training. He underwent internal brace surgery on May 21, 2025.

“Pretty damn cool,” Jones said of how it feels. “It took a lot of time, 12 months, almost exactly, of not playing baseball. You kind of get a sense that you need it. I’m just extremely grateful to be back.”