Cubs hitters stymied again in 4-2 loss to Pirates

The Cubs were stymied by former Cub left-hander Jose Quintana and four relievers as their hitting funk continued in a 4-2 loss to the Pirates on Friday night at Wrigley Field. It was the Cubs’ fourth consecutive loss.

Michael Hermosillo hit a two-run double in the second inning for a 2-2 tie — his first hit of the season after an 0-for-12 start. The Cubs (6-8) had seven hits — six of them singles.

“Just couldn’t really get much going,” manager David Ross said. “We had some good at-bats there early on. Big hit from Mike to kind of get us back to tied. They got two solo shots and we couldn’t get much going.”

With the Cubs trailing 4-2 in the eighth, Seiya Suzuki ended an 0-for-10 skein with a sharp lead-off single to right-center off hard-throwing reliever David Bednar. But Bednar struck out Willson Contreras, Frank Schwindel and pinch-hitter Rafael Ortega to end the inning.

Nico Hoerner’s infield single in the ninth put runners on first and third with two outs against Chris Stratton. But Nick Madrigal grounded out to second to end the game.

Cubs starter Drew Smyly (1-1), who had not allowed a run in his first two starts (9 2/3 innings), allowed four runs on six hits in five-plus innings, including home runs to catcher Roberto Perez and first baseman Michael Chavis.

“I thought I threw the ball pretty well,” Smyly said. “This game is hard to get results, game-in and game-out. I thought I made some good pitches. They hit a couple homers. One to Chavis, I probably just kind of went to the curveball one too many times. He’s probably sitting on it. I threw it a lot to him. And he put a good swing on it.

“The one to Perez, I’m pretty sure I broke his bat and it just went out, so sometimes crazy thinks like that happen. I thought I was making good pitches overall.”

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