• Isiah Kiner-Falefa delivered a game-winning sacrifice fly in the 10th inning.
• The Pirates defeated the Cubs 2-1 in an extra-inning divisional game.
• Paul Skenes continued his dominant stretch, pitching five scoreless innings.
• IKF also made a crucial game-saving relay throw in the 5th inning to keep the game scoreless.

It wasn't always pretty, but it was a thing of beauty. In a classic, nail-biting divisional matchup at Wrigley Field, the Pittsburgh Pirates scratched and clawed their way to a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs in 10 innings. The hero of the night was none other than Isiah Kiner-Falefa, whose sacrifice fly in the top of the tenth was the final, decisive blow in a game defined by stellar pitching and timely defense.

Over his last seven starts, Paul Skenes has allowed just five earned runs in 47 1/3 innings.

Mr. Clutch: IKF's All-Around Masterpiece

Isiah Kiner-Falefa put on a clinic Friday night, proving his value in every facet of the game. With the bases loaded in the top of the 10th, thanks to a Ke’Bryan Hayes single and a Henry Davis walk, IKF delivered the game-winning sacrifice fly to score Adam Frazier and silence the Wrigley crowd. But his heroics started long before that. Back in the fifth inning, with the game still scoreless, he was the crucial pivot man in a perfect relay from Oneil Cruz in the outfield, firing a strike to home plate to cut down Ian Happ and keep the Cubs off the board. It was a complete performance that directly impacted the outcome.

Another Day, Another Dominant Skenes Start

It's becoming routine, but it's no less spectacular. Rookie phenom Paul Skenes was once again electric, carving up the Cubs lineup for five scoreless innings. He racked up five strikeouts, navigating four hits and two walks on 95 pitches. While he didn't factor into the decision—a frustratingly common theme given his recent performance—his dominance set the tone against an equally sharp Cade Horton for the Cubs. Skenes has been virtually unhittable for over a month, and Friday was another chapter in what's shaping up to be a historic rookie campaign.

A Full Team Effort to Seal the Deal

This win wasn't just about one or two players. After Skenes departed, the bullpen was lights-out. Dennis Santana earned the win with 1.2 scoreless innings, and David Bednar slammed the door with a flawless 10th for his 10th save, looking every bit the 'Renegade' we know and love. The offense finally broke through in the eighth when Oneil Cruz's chopper forced a costly throwing error from the Cubs, allowing Henry Davis to scamper home for the game's first run before Chicago tied it later in the inning. From the pitching to the defense to capitalizing on mistakes, this was a quintessential team victory.

This is the kind of win that can build momentum. Beating a rival on their turf in extra innings feels good, and the Bucs will look to carry that energy into Saturday's matchup. Right-hander Mike Burrows (1-1, 5.00 ERA) gets the ball against Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd (5-3, 2.89 ERA) in what promises to be another hard-fought contest. Let's see if the Pirates can string another one together and take the series.