we were told by manager derck Shelton that O'Neal Cruz would be shifting from shortstop to center field you don't want to call this a a bombshell uh announcement but it's certainly a a big thing for this organization well I think the change with O'Neal it's something that that we've been talking about it's not something that we took lightly I mean he's an unbelievable athlete uh we feel it's probably the best position for him and for the Pirates and wanted to make sure that we got a Runway of games going into next year and obviously he's disappointed I mean anybody that plays shortstop wants to play shortstop and that's how it is but I think the one thing we know about O'Neal Cruz is he's an unbelievable athlete he's a really good teammate and he wants to and he wants to win and I think that's the most important thing Nick Gonzalez he's been out about a month he returns got to be uh anxious to get that first AB that first ground ball and tonight it's going to be Mitch Keller coming off of a very strong outing and really we've been seeing that quite regularly from these pirates with uh scoreless outing from their starters and Keller no exception his last timeout stepping in is Ian hap we are ready for baseball ground ball up the middle knocked down Conor fppa turns and throws it'll be an infield hit look for a second like ikf had that in his glove just kind of crowed a little bit but just kicked a little too far away to make that play Fly ball into the sunfield and left Reynolds with the sunglasses on makes the catch one out one away a man at first the batter Sega Suzuki another another 3-2 pitch from Keller and again hap takes off as a strike out from his right knee grandal's throw not going to get him now 10 pitch a bat right here from Suzuki nice sweeper right there those is a stolen base two outs 10 Steals and 12 tries for hap so happen second two outs and Cody Bellinger coming up for Chicago LS this toward left there's Reynolds and Mitch Keller after giving up a Le off infield hit retires the next three yeah back home again is Jon Ty on originally drafted by the PIR second overall pick in 2010 he doesn't walk people and he's got a real good sweeper he's got himself one out here in the bottom of the first here's Brian Reynolds facing his ex- teammate popped up and Swanson pointing it out PCA and hap it'll be ha to make the catch O'Neal Cruz at the plate tall switch hitter batting left-handed in there got him Tyle freezes cruise and the Pirates go one two three end of one here in Pittsburgh it's out number one and the batter ni horer off the end of the bat softly hits center field charging in is baay and it's off his glove and Racing for second is NCO hoer and it looked like gwan was playing a little bit toward that right center field Gap it looked like he got a pretty decent start it was one of those balls off the bat that was hit toward the end that an outfielder kind of sees it being hit harder than it actually is he had a pretty good chance of securing that and just Just Hits off the thumb of his glove right there man in scoring position hitting at 227 Swanson 10 home runs Runner takes off for third pitch is outside and Nico has it stolen porer with his 25th in 28 tries here's Nico with one out getting himself to Third Base giving uh Dansby a pitch to work with here on three and two wow big time strike out of Swanson moments after that stolen base well placed two seam right here from Mitch right on the corner and here is Pete Crow Armstrong sounds like he's got some friends possibly family members in attendance slap the other way and a base hit good work there stayed back and hamers at fast ball RBI single for Pete Crow Armstrong and the Cubs have the lead yeah the Ascension of PCA has been quite a story here for the Cubs over the last few weeks it's time to foot down early knows a little single to get the job done time to run indeed there he goes they kind of pitched out throw down to Second too late and pet coow Armstrong is in there with stolen base number 24 he's only been caught once Keller has allowed 21 Steals on the mound this year so some of these Cubs trying to take advantage early in the game guys at the bottom of the order how about Amaya eight for his last 13 at bats over his last four games including a pair of homers on the ground base hit right field Here Comes Pete Crow Armstrong on his way in and a base hit Miguel Amaya bottom of the order just keeps on hitting it's two zip got to be careful here with hap he's got decent power RBI guy that's Hammer face hit in the right field de la Cruz over to pick it up ha sprinting towards second and into third is Miguel Amaya All Conference indeed and this is a fast ball up in the zone above the waist to Ian he just turns this pitch around app with a single and a double already and now two in scoring position for Michael Bush Keller little toss to first two stranded but two in and two nothing comes they say as Suzuki to lead it off struck out in a 10- pitch and bad back in the first inning that one is fair down the line and it's going to kick off the sidewall where'd it go where'd it go disappeared it just disappeared did it roll under the screen it's an automatic double kids it went under the gate how's that how is that possible he hit it so hard he flattened it out boo it just disappeared well that's the sixth hit already for the Cubs here tonight right down the third Baseline goes Suzuki and yeah abracadabra it's like one of those video game things you you enter a certain portal it just it's a shortcut Suzuki at second for Bellinger line drive right field and that gets down and it's going to get up against the wall Suzuki is coming around to score Bellinger replaces him at second 3 nothing on the RBI double man they're hanging out some line drives here tonight after scoring 14 runs on Saturday held to just two on six hits in yesterday's ball game but the bats are on fire again here tonight first triple for triolo jwan Bay is the batter and that'll do it well done run in RBI Bay yeah third baseman in the pitcher were the only spots if that ball was hit on the ground that could cause Jared triller to not score right here one run in and now Conor FFA in the air that is well struck left center field half is back and he makes the catch out there in the Triangle by the 410 marker right up against the Cub Bullpen well done here's Brian Reynolds there's a line drive to right field by Reynolds and how about that Line Drive Homer anchor down Bay his 20th and suddenly it's three to2 the Home Run drought is over for Reynolds well Reynolds hits this one on a line about 300 call it 342 ft we'll get a number on that a pitch after Conor FFA hits a ball about 406 ft for an out you got to love this game Greg that's right the Cubs a great scoring chance now with men at first and third and nobody out and the batter is Miguel Amaya Cubs lead by a run Line Drive left field and that's a base hit pca's going to score swans it is in Pete Crow AR Armstrong on his heels Miguel Amaya comes through he's knocked in three here tonight and some breathing room it's 52 backto back strikeouts after Amaya doubled and then was bed to third but he's still at third with two down and now it'll take a base hit or a mistake as Suzuki steps in line to center field and a base hit say a Suzuki in RBI single and more insurance for the Cubs as they lead it 6-2 that's going to be an intentional Cody Bellinger zakus will take his base and now they're all loaded up and a chance for Nico horer outside ball four and he walked in to run and it comes now leaded 7-2 Dansby Swanson let off the inning with a base on balls and he will now bat for the second time in the inning that one trailed left field Swanson unloads gone Danby swansson a grand slam and the Cubs have opened it up here in Pittsburgh it is 112 get that man a tomato sandwich Dansby goes deep and the Cubs Break It Wide Open two on in scoring position with one out for triolo bounc to Third Run will score RBI triolo two outs giwan Bay had an RBI in the third inning and fighting it off gwan Bay two out single for Bay give him his second RBI tonight and the Pirates make it 11 to four raus nothing for three with a walk and the air left field and that one will struck on its way and gone theak paradus unloads and it's 124 and for paradus he needed that number 19 one out in the inning still bags loaded Cubs on top 12 four here's Brian dalor Cruz oh diving stop he beats the rapid first he gets an RBI great stop by Paredes to get an out Cru to third RBI fielders choice for Brian Dela Cruz it's 12 to5 another breaking ball he walked rondal to reload the bases for the Pirates and triolo three productive at bats tonight a triple single and an RBI bounce out oh that'll bring home a run did that get him in the elbow guard sounded like it yeah got him in the elbow guard give triolo his second run batted in tonight Pirates aren't going to go away Maya to go to third one out Lefty to Lefty now Michael bus the batter Michael needs a base hit he is nothing for five BL drive and a base hit out of the left Center so he comes up with his first knock of the night produces a run and it's 136 and here is seya Suzuki seya with a couple of knocks on the ground right side it'll get through wow awkward swing as Suzuki ends up with his fourth hit of the night four hit ball game good for him count four hits Cody Bellinger an RBI double in the third inning in the air center field that one is hammered that one on its way and that's off the wall Here Comes Bush around he will score Suzuki into third and Bellinger just missed a homer and it is 146 line drive at a base hit out into left field one run is in Bellinger will stop at third and the hits just keep on coming here is rowy tles this will be his third pitching appearance in the major leagues once last year with the Brewers center field gwan Bay is there tagging from third and coming into score is Bellinger so now the bases are loaded oh boy Amaya gets for plunk berus in score and now we'll go back to the top of the order in talkman and that's ball four so another run comes in and it's 186 it's a one out single Conor Joe the batter fly Ball Deep left field home run Conor Joe well the good news is the PS have scored six runs in the last three Innings the bad news is they still have 10 runs to score nonetheless a great swing off the bat of Conor Joe Brian dalor crew the batter two outs swing and a miss and that's the ball game Cubs take the opener here in Pittsburgh I'll say 18 runs on 21 hits and finish it off 188