Valdez

PITTSBURGH — Esmerlyn Valdez hit a two-run home run to cap a five-run first inning on Tuesday night and the Pittsburgh Pirates routed the skidding Cubs 12-1 to extend Chicago’s losing streak to 10 games.

The rookie became the seventh player in Pirates’ history to hit two home runs within the first four games of his major league career and the first since Austin Meadows in 2018.

The Cubs are just the second team in major league history to have two 10-game winning streaks and one 10-game losing streak in the same season, joining the 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Elias Sports.

It is also the Cubs’ longest losing streak since 2022.

Braxton Ashcraft (4-3) allowed one run on seven hits in 6• innings while striking out five and walking one. He is 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA in five starts in May.

Valdez’s homer gave the Pirates a 5-0 lead after Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run double earlier in the first off Jordan Wicks (0-1), who was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Sunday to bolster an injury-depleted rotation. Wicks was rocked for eight runs in 4• innings.

Spencer Horwitz also homered for the Pirates, who won their third consecutive game. Oneil Cruz had three hits and Brandon Lowe, Reynolds, Nick Gonzales and Horwitz added two each. Valdez drove in three runs.

Konnor Griffin, a 20-year-old rookie shortstop, became the youngest leadoff hitter for the Pirates since 1952. He was 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.

The Cubs’ Alex Bregman and Carson Kelly had two hits each. Chicago went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners.

Game notes

The last Pittsburgh Pirate to do what Griffin did on Tuesday night was Bobby Del Greco in 1952. Griffin previously batted in five different positions in the order through his first 47 games, ranging from second to eighth.

“Konnor’s going to continue to get better, as we’ve seen in his short time that he’s been in the big leagues, and it’s just going to continue to get better,” Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said pregame. “(We have been) challenging him in different ways — and he’s met all of those. (We’re) excited to see him take another step today as a leadoff guy.”

Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd is scheduled to make the first of what is expected to be two rehab starts for Triple-A Iowa on Sunday, the team said Tuesday.

Boyd has been on the injured list since May 4 with a torn meniscus in his left knee that required surgery. He was injured when he sat down on the floor to play with his children.

Boyd is 2-1 with a 6.00 ERA in five starts this season. He was selected to the All-Star Game for the first time in his 12-year career last season. He threw a 52-pitch simulated game prior to Tuesday night’s game against the Pirates.

Up next

Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (2-4, 5.20 ERA) faces rookie RHP Bubba Chandler (1-6, 4.60) tonight in the third game of the four-game series.