Pirates Edge Cubs, Cardinals Postponed

By ESPN

Gift Ngoepe might not have had the weight of the world on his shoulders but he felt like a continent was counting on him.

Ngoepe, the first African to reach the major leagues, singled in his first plate appearance and Josh Harrison led off the bottom of the first with a home run Wednesday night to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Ngoepe was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis and entered the game in fourth inning as part of a double switch and finished 1 for 2 with a walk. The 27-year-old South African, who signed with the Pirates in 2008 as an amateur free agent, led off the fourth with a hit off winless Cubs ace Jon Lester.

"To accomplish this only for me but for my country and my continent is something so special," Ngoepe said. "There are 1.62 billion people on our continent. To be the first person out of 1.62 billion to do this is amazing."

It was so special that Ngoepe nearly broke into tears when he trotted from the dugout to take his positon at second base.

"I told myself not to cry because I'm in the big leagues and I'm a big guy now," Ngoepe said with a smile. "(Catcher Francisco) Cervelli hugged me and I could feel my heart beat through my chest."

A year after winning 19 games in helping the Cubs win their first World Series title since 1908, Lester (0-1) is still looking for his first victory after five starts. The left-hander was tagged for six runs -- five earned -- and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings.

"It's probably the best I threw the ball all year," Lester said. "That's baseball."

Wade LeBlanc (1-0), who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of rookie Tyler Glasnow, got the win.

The fifth leadoff home run of Harrison's career keyed a two-run first that included an RBI double by Cervelli. Andrew McCutchen and Phil Gosselin hit run-scoring doubles in a three-run third that pushed the Pirates' lead to 5-1.

After the Cubs got within two runs, Josh Bell gave the Pirates a 6-3 lead with a solo home run in the sixth inning off Lester. The rookie first baseman has reached base in 11 straight games.

Anthony Rizzo's two-run homer deep into the right-field stands in the eighth inning off Daniel Hudson drew the Cubs within 6-5. Tony Watson then got the last four outs for his seventh save in as many chances.

Glasnow remained winless in nine career starts, allowing three runs in 3 1/3 innings and requiring 89 pitches to get 10 outs.

Rizzo had four RBI and Kris Bryant had three hits as the Cubs lost for just second time in eight games while stranding 13 runners. The Pirates won for the third time in nine games.

Blue Jays at Cardinals, postponed until Thursday at 12:45 p.m.

White Sox 5, Royials 2

After 99 pitches over six innings, Jose Quintana gave the Chicago White Sox a chance to win.

Then Avisail Garcia gave him the rest of the afternoon off.

Garcia's two-run home run in the sixth inning broke a tie and lifted the White Sox to a 5-2 victory Wednesday, completing a series sweep of the reeling Kansas City Royals, who finished their trip 0-7.

"I wanted to stay in the game and go back in the seventh inning, but (manager Rick Renteria) said if we take the lead, you stay. If we're tied, you go back," Quintana said. "(Garcia) hit a bomb at the right time and it was big time. He told me that's for you, and I'm happy with that."

Quintana (1-4) got the run support he needed after receiving only four runs in his first four starts combined. The left-hander had a season-high 10 strikeouts. He allowed five hits and two runs -- one earned -- and walked two.

Renteria dispatched relievers Dan Jennings, Tommy Kahnle, Nate Jones and David Robertson for three scoreless innings, with Robertson converting his fifth save in five tries.

"They've been the epitome of a solid bullpen," said Renteria, who knocked on a wooden table twice when talking about the unit, which has combined for a 1.96 ERA, second in the majors. "In the end, once you go ahead and put the club ahead, which those guys did, there's no need to push the envelope with (Quintana) any further. We could get it with the other guys."

Garcia's two-run homer, his fourth of the season, went to deep center field to give Chicago a 4-2 lead.

Leury Garcia added a solo home run in the seventh inning for the White Sox, who earned their fourth straight win.

Chicago's Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier had consecutive two-out RBI doubles in the first inning to open the scoring.

Jorge Bonifacio scored Alcides Escobar on an RBI single in the fifth inning, and Escobar's groundout scored Alex Gordon to tie it at 2 in the top of the sixth.

Right-hander Nathan Karns (0-2) took the loss, allowing four runs in six innings for the Royals, who stranded 11 runners.

"We hit some balls right on the nose, we just couldn't find holes with them," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "I'm encouraged by what I saw."

The teams will meet again for a four-game series starting Monday in Kansas City, part of a 10-game home stand for the Royals.

Wednesday, April 26 Scoreboard

Milwaukee 9, Cincinnati 4

Chicago White Sox 5, Kansas City 2

Cleveland 7, Houston 6

New York Yankees 3, Boston 1

Baltimore 5, Tampa Bay 4 (F/11)

Philadelphia 7, Miami 4

Pittsburgh 6, Chicago Cubs 5

Seattle 8, Detroit 0

Atlanta 8, New York Mets 2

Texas 14, Minnesota 3

Washington 11, Colorado 4

San Diego 8, Arizona 5

Los Angeles Angels 8, Oakland 5

San Francisco 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 3 (F/10)

Toronto at St. Louis, Postponed

Thursday, April 27 Schedule (All Times Central)

Miami at Philadelphia, 12:05 p.m.

Seattle at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

Atlanta at New York Mets, 12:10 p.m.

Toronto at St. Louis, 12:4 5p.m.

Washington at Colorado, 2:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco, 2:45 p.m.

Houston at Cleveland, 5:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Boston, 6;10 p.jm.

Toronto at St. Louis, 6;15 p.m.

San Diego at Arizona, 8;40 p.m.

Oakland at Los Angeles Angels, 9:07 p.m.

Friday, April 28 Schedule (All Times Central)

Baltimore at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

New York Mets at Washington, 6:05 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Boston, 6:10 p.m.

Seattle at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at  Detroit, 6:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Miami, 6;10 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Atlanta at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Oakland at Houston, 7;10 p.m.

Minnesota at Kansas City, 7;15 p.m.

Cincinnati at St. Louis, 7:15 p.m.

Colorado at Arizona, 8:40 p.m.

Philadelphia at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9:10 p.m.

San Diego at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m.

Saturday, April 29 Schedule (All Times Central)

Baltimore at New York Yankees, 12:05 p.m.

New York Mets at Washington, 12:05 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Toronto, 12:07 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at St. Louis, 1:15 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Boston, 3:05 p.m.

Seattle at Cleveland, 3:10 p.m.

Atlanta at Milwaukee, 6;10 p.m.

Oakland at Houston, 6:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

Minnesota at Kansas City, 6:15 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Texas, 6:15 p.m.

Colorado at Arizona, 7:10 p.m.

San Diego at San Francisco, 8:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at Los Angeles Dodgers, 8:10 p.m.

Sunday, April 30 Schedule (All Times Central)

Baltimore at New York Yankees, 12:05 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Toronto, 12:07 p.m.

Seattle at Cleveland, 12:10 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Miami, 12:10 p.m.

New York Mets at Washington, 12:35 p.m.

Atlanta at Milwaukee, 1:10 p.m.

Oakland at Houston,1 :10 p.m.

Minnesota at Kansas City, 1:15 p.m.

Cincinnati at St. Louis, 1:15 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Texas, 2:05 p.m.

San Diego at San Francisco, 3:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at Los Angeles Dodgers, 3:10 p.m.

Colorado at Arizona, 3:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Boston, 7 p.m.