McCutchen's two-run double lifts Pirates over Cubs 4-3 as fan falls from 21-foot Clemente Wall

McCutchen’s two-run double lifts Pirates over Cubs 4-3 as fan falls from 21-foot Clemente Wall

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Pittsburgh Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen celebrates on second base after hitting a double off Chicago Cubs pitcher Caleb Thielbar, driving in two runs, during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Pittsburgh Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen doubles off Chicago Cubs pitcher Caleb Thielbar, driving in two runs, during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher David Bednar (51) celebrates with catcher Joey Bart after getting the final out of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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A fan is carted off the field at PNC Park after falling out of the stands during the seventh inning of a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd delivers during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

By JOHN PERROTTO

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew McCutchen hit a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning just seconds before a fan fell off the 21-foot Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Wednesday night.

With the Pirates trailing 3-2 in the seventh, Isiah Kiner-Falefa reached on a fielding error by third baseman Jon Berti and took second on Bryan Reynolds’ single.

McCutchen then hit a grounder up the middle that deflected off the leg of sliding shortstop Dansby Swanson and into right-center field.

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Then the fan flipped over the railing from the first row of seats. Players frantically waved for medical attention and the fan was removed from the field on a cart.

The Cubs scored three runs in the fifth inning to pull ahead 3-2. Ian Happ hit an RBI single, Kyle Tucker drove in a run with a groundout and the third scored on Ryan Borucki’s wild pitch.

Oneil Cruz doubled and scored on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ single in the first inning and Joey Bart doubled and scored on Jared Triolo’s sacrifice fly in the fourth as the Pirates, who snapped a three-game losing streak, built a 2-0 lead.

Swanson had three hits for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who lost for the third time in four games.

Caleb Ferguson (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Caleb Thielbar (1-1) took the loss. David Bednar registered his third save.

Cubs starter Matthew Boyd allowed two runs in five innings and Pirates counterpart Carmen Mlodzinski gave up two runs in four-plus innings.

Key moment

McCutchen’s double came just before a pall settled over the ballpark.

Key stat

Hayes ran his hitting streak to 10 games, one short of his career high.

Up next

The three-game series concludes on Thursday with Cubs RHP Colin Rea (1-0, 0.96 ERA) facing RHP Paul Skenes (3-2, 2.39).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB