Top 1

Adam Frazier lines out to Joc Pederson in left on the second pitch of the game.

Ke’Bryan Hayes draws a walk. Trainer comes out to check on Hayes after he dives back to first because of a pick-off attempt. Hayes stays in.

Arrieta strikes out Bryant Reynolds on a curveball in the dirt.

Colin Moran singles to left. Two on, two out for Kevin Newman.

Newman singles up the middle and Hayes comes in to score, 1-0 Pirates.

Arrieta gets his second strikeout, freezing Gregory Polanco on a high slider.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 0

Bottom 1

Willson Contreras leading off today against the lefty Tyler Anderson. Good start, works a leadoff walk.

Kris Bryant chases a high fastball and strikes out swinging.

Anthony Rizzo falls behind 0-2, but does make good contact. Bad luck though, as the liner is right at Moran, who tags out Contreras for the double play.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 0

Top 2

Jacob Stallings flies out to Jason Heyward shy of the warning track in right field.

Dustin Fowler grounds out to David Bote.

Arrieta makes easy work of Anderson, striking him out with a curve ball. Good, quick 1-2-3 for Arrieta in the second against the bottom of the order.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 0

Bottom 2

Javier Báez smacks a single to left field.

Lead-off single for Javy Báez. First hit of 2021 had a 109-mph exit velocity. #Cubs

— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) April 3, 2021

Javy steals second on a 0-2 pitch to Pederson.

Joc strikes out swinging.

Javy with another steal! He’s at third with one out now.

Jake Marisnick making his Cubs’ debut and he dumps one out to shallow right field for an RBI-single to tie the game. Pirates infield was playing in, so Cubs catch a break on that one.

Javy is on the move. 👀💨 pic.twitter.com/oFaoTEnZWg

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 3, 2021

Heyward with a smash into right field, Marisnick scampers to third base. Cubs have more hits this inning, 3, than they did on Opening Day, 2.

Bote with a sac-fly to center and the Cubs lead 2-1. So far, despite the struggles on offense, the Cubs have been doing a great job of getting the runner in from third with less than two outs against the Pirates.

4 of the Cubs' first 5 runs of the season have now come via the sacrifice fly. #SituationalHitting

— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) April 3, 2021

Arrieta strikes out to end the second inning.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 2

Top 3

Marisnick catches a pop-fly in left-center off the bat of Frazier.

Erik Gonzalez singles to center. He’s now in for Hayes, who was checked on by a trainer in the first inning.

Arrieta falls behind 3-0 to Reynolds, but he gets the lefty to line into a double play. Bryant, who was shifted to the right side of the infield, catches the liner and throws to first to end the third.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 2

Bottom 3

Contreras swings on 3-1, but gets it off the end of the bat and he pops up to shallow center.

KRIS BRYANT DINGER!!!

Rizzo flies out to center field.

Báez strikes out swinging on a fastball.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 3

Top 4

Moran hits a soft liner, but right at KB.

Newman with a hard ground ball for an out.

Polanco singles to right field. Another hard-hit ball.

Stallings stings a ball to left, but Joc runs it down. I wasn’t kidding folks, Pirates hit Jakes hard in the fourth.

That was some hard contact against Arrieta in the 4th. pic.twitter.com/zPReiWsy4y

— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) April 3, 2021

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 3

Bottom 4

Pederson safe an an error by Moran.

Marisnick strikes out swinging.

Another error from the Pirates, as Frazier tried to tag Pederson, couldn’t and then made a bad throw to first allowing Heyward to reach base.

Tough luck for Bote, who lines out to center.

And Arrieta strikes out swinging, Cubs leave two runners on. I know the Cubs sucked at DH in 2020, but damnit, give me the DH!

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 3

Top 5

Fowler sends one out to left-center field and it looked scary for a second, but Pederson makes the catch. Looked like Marisnick lost it in the sky at the end.

Arrieta strikes out Anderson for the second time and this tweet pretty much nails my thoughts on pitchers’ hitting.

The only time I like pitchers hitting is when it’s the opposing pitcher.

— Brad (@ballskwok) April 3, 2021

Frazier triples on a ball that kept carrying in right field. Maybe a play Heyward could have made, but the wind is definitely a factor today at Wrigley.

Javy with a strong play deep in the hole at short, throws out Gonzalez to end the top half of the fifth.

Javy… from left field. pic.twitter.com/hboWyjPt9g

— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) April 3, 2021

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 3

Bottom 5

Contreras works another long at-bat and walks for the second time.

Rizzo muscles one into right field and Contreras races to third.

Javy makes contact, but the ground ball is right to third and Contreras gets thrown out at home.

Pederson called strikes out, as the ump rules he couldn’t check his swing in time.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 3

Top 6

Reynolds smashes a single to right field. Pirates finding a lot of barrels against Arrieta the last three innings.

Moran strikes out looking and Arrieta has gotten a few breaks on strikes called that were just off the plate.

Newman flies out to Heyward and once again the wind made it a tricky play.

Polanco fouls out to KB to end the sixth. Great season debut for Arrieta.

Mr. Arrieta,

It's a pleasure watching you work. #CubTogether pic.twitter.com/OHHlvME7eF

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 3, 2021

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 3

Bottom 6

Clay Holmes now pitching for the Pirates.

Marisnick called out on strikes on a 3-2 pitch. Ball looked low, but the strike zone has been pretty much the same for both teams.

Bote grounds out to second and so does Eric Sogard, who pinch-hit for Arrieta.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 4

Top 7

Brandon Workman making his second appearance out of the Cubs’ bullpen.

Stallings strikes out swinging on three pitches.

Fowlers grounds out to Rizzo.

Alford pinch-hits for the pitcher and he strikes out swinging.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 4

Bottom 7

Contreras caught looking to start the seventh for the Cubs.

Bryant walks.

Pirates trying to give the Cubs another run. Bryant moves to second and then third base on wild pitches.

Rizzo walks and Báez comes up with runners at the corners. Only one out.

Báez with his second single of the game and he drives in Bryant. 5-1 Cubs.

Joc fooled and he strikes out swinging on an awkward swing.

Marisnick strikes out looking on a 3-2 pitch. Definitely wants that ball back, fastball down the middle.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 5

Top 8

Lefty Andrew Chafin in to pitch for the Cubs.

Frazier jammed and Bryant makes the catch at the shortstop position as he was shifted over to the right.

Reynolds strikes out swinging.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 5

Bottom 8

Right-hander Luis Oviedo comes in for the Pirates.

Heyward grounds out to second.

Bote grounds out to third.

Ian Happ pinch-hits and strikes out swinging. Launched his bat on the follow through.

Score: Pirates 1, Cubs 5

Top 9

Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel making his season debut in a non-save situation.

Moran strikes out looking.

Newman strikes out looking.

Moran strikes out looking!

It was Good Kimbrel today. Strikes out the side in order in the 9th to seal the Cubs' 5-1 win. pic.twitter.com/w0cHKAzgW4

— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) April 3, 2021

Love to see that from dirty Craig!

FINAL: Pirates 1, Cubs 5