вЂњYou dream of those spots to be in,вЂќ Bednar said, вЂњand coming out on top and help the team win is all that matters.вЂќД«ednar has a sparkling 0.80 ERA in 28 games since last yearвЂ™s All-Star break. After Happ was walked intentionally, Frank Schwindel also struck out swinging on three straight fastballs from Bednar - each registering at least 97.2 mph. With runners on second and third in the ninth, Willson Contreras struck out swinging for the second out. Villar committed a throwing error that brought home a run in the fourth, and the Cubs left 11 runners on base, including seven over the final three innings. Newman, Yoshi Tsutsugo and Ben Gamel each drove in a run for the Pirates, who took three of four in the series.ДЄ day after it collected 23 hits during a historic romp, Chicago lost for the fifth time in six games overall. вЂњOur bullpenвЂ™s been throwing pretty well and hope to continue that and pull for one another and keep this thing snowballing,вЂќ Peters said. Peters, Wil Crowe, Hembree, Chris Stratton and Bednar combined for six innings of one-run ball on a rainy afternoon that turned into partly cloudy skies by the end of the game. Heath Hembree surrendered Ian HappвЂ™s first homer of the season in the eighth, but David Bednar worked the ninth for his second save. The left-hander surrendered a hit for the first time this season - Jonathan VillarвЂ™s fourth-inning single - but managed to run his opening scoreless streak to 10 1/3 innings over five appearances. Peters (3-0) pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of an ill JT Brubaker, providing the Pirates with a big lift after their 21-0 loss Saturday.

вЂњAnytime that we didnвЂ™t make a play or something happened, they stepped up and picked us up, and I think thatвЂ™s a sign of a good team.вЂќ вЂњI give credit to our bullpen,вЂќ manager Derek Shelton said. Dillon Peters keyed a solid performance by PittsburghвЂ™s bullpen and Kevin Newman had two hits, helping the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Sunday.

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