CHICAGO (AP) — Paul Skenes pitched five effective innings while struggling with his location, and the Pittsburgh Pirates handed the Chicago Cubs another tough loss with a 5-0 victory on Tuesday night.

Skenes worked out of bases-loaded jams in the first two innings. The rookie right-hander allowed four hits and walked four, but he struck out six.

After Skenes (9-2) departed, Colin Holderman, Carmen Mlodzinski and David Bednar combined for four innings of one-hit ball.

Chicago had won six in a row — all on the road — before losing the first two in its three-game series against Pittsburgh at Wrigley Field. The Cubs are 4 1/2 games back in the race for final NL wild card after Atlanta beat Colorado 3-0 on Tuesday night.

Chicago right-hander Kyle Hendricks (3-11) struck out five while pitching five innings of two-run ball. He got the start after Justin Steele was scratched because of elbow soreness.

Pittsburgh jumped in front with two runs in the third, capped by Rowdy Tellez’s RBI single.

With one out and runners on second and third in the seventh, Jared Triolo drove a 0-1 sweeper from Tyson Miller deep to left-center for his seventh homer.

WORTH NOTING

The Pirates claimed left-hander Joey Wentz off waivers from Detroit.

UP NEXT

Chicago’s Shota Imanaga (11-3, 3.14 ERA) takes the mound on Wednesday night. Pittsburgh has not named a starter. The winning team takes the season series, which is knotted at 6-6.

___

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