Nico Hoerner powers Cubs to rout, second sweep of Pirates

Nico Hoerner homered and hit a two-run triple Wednesday as the visiting Chicago Cubs completed a three-game series sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with an 8-3 win.

Ian Happ added a two-run double and Nick Madrigal a two-run single for the Cubs, who are on a 10-2 run.

Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks (3-2) gave up three runs (one earned) on two hits in 6 1/3 innings, with two strikeouts and three walks.

Josh Palacios hit an RBI double for the Pirates, who were held to two hits and have been swept in three straight series, two by the Cubs.

Pittsburgh starter Rich Hill (6-7) allowed five runs (three earned) and four hits in 5 2/3 innings, with four strikeouts and two walks.

Pittsburgh scored first when Connor Joe walked and scored when Palacios doubled to right in the second. That gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead and ended a 25-inning scoring drought.

Chicago answered with a three-run third. Miguel Amaya doubled to left and Mike Tauchman followed with a walk. Both advanced on Madrigal's sacrifice bunt. Hoerner tripled to right and Seiya Suzuki's sacrifice fly to center brought home Hoerner to make it 3-1.

With two outs in the sixth, Christopher Morel reached on third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes' throwing error. Trey Mancini was hit by a pitch. Happ's double to left drove in Morel and Mancini to increase Chicago's lead to 5-1.

With two outs in the seventh, Hoerner hit his fifth homer, to right, to up it to 6-1.

Pittsburgh got two runs in the bottom of the seventh on just one hit. Joe singled to center and Henry Davis got hit by a pitch one out later. Cal Mitchell walked to load the bases and chase Hendricks for Mark Leiter Jr., who struck out Rodolfo Castro.

Pinch-hitter Tucupita Marcano reached on Mancini's throwing error at first on a grounder, allowing Joe and Davis to score and close it to 6-3.

In the eighth, Happ doubled to left with one out. After Yan Gomes struck out, Amaya and Tauchman walked, chasing Angel Perdomo for Yerry De Los Santos. Madrigal's two-run single to right made it 8-3.