The Chicago Cubs erased a one-run deficit and beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 at Wrigley Field on Saturday, September 12, 2026, completing a comeback victory in nine innings. Pedro Ramírez went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, Michael Busch added a solo shot of his own, and a four-man Cubs bullpen held Pittsburgh scoreless after the fifth inning to seal the division win. Ryan Zeferjahn earned the save, and Ryan Rolison picked up the win in relief.

Pedro Ramírez and Michael Busch Power the Cubs Offense

Ramírez was the offensive catalyst Saturday. He went 2-for-3 with a home run and one RBI, providing the Cubs with two separate plate appearances that counted. Busch went 1-for-3 with a solo home run of his own, giving Chicago a pair of long balls in a game they needed every run they could generate against Pittsburgh starter Paul Skenes.

Skenes was sharp through seven innings, allowing just four hits, two earned runs, and one walk while striking out four. The Cubs did enough damage against him to stay in the game, but Pittsburgh held a lead heading into the late innings before Chicago's offense responded.

Ryan O'Hearn Gave Pittsburgh the Lead

The Pirates' biggest threat came from Ryan O'Hearn, who went 1-for-4 but made that one hit count — a home run that drove in three runs. O'Hearn's three-RBI shot was the defining moment of Pittsburgh's offensive output and the reason the Cubs found themselves chasing the game in the first place.

Cubs Bullpen Locks Down Pittsburgh After Clay Holmes Exits

Clay Holmes started for Chicago and pitched 5.2 innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs, and four walks while striking out six. He kept the Cubs within striking distance, but the walk total meant he needed to come out with runners on.

Jacob Webb followed with 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing no hits and one walk while striking out one. Ryan Rolison then worked 1.2 innings, giving up one hit and no earned runs — enough to earn the win. Zeferjahn closed it out with a one-third inning, striking out one and allowing nothing, to record the save.

Pittsburgh's Gregory Soto took the loss after a rough ninth inning. He allowed one hit, walked two, and gave up two earned runs across one inning — the damage that handed Chicago the lead for good.

Turning Point: The Cubs Ninth-Inning Rally

The metadata on this game tells the story clearly: the Cubs came back from a one-run deficit. That comeback was completed in the ninth inning against Soto, whose inability to throw strikes — two walks issued alongside a hit and two earned runs in a single inning — gave Chicago the opening it needed. The Cubs capitalized, and Zeferjahn made sure Pittsburgh didn't get another chance.

What's Next for the Cubs

  • The Cubs and Pirates continue their series at Wrigley Field following this Saturday win.
  • Chicago's bullpen threw a combined 3.1 scoreless innings after Holmes departed — workload to monitor as the regular season continues.
  • Ramírez's performance — two hits, a home run, and an RBI in three at-bats — keeps his name in the conversation as a productive bat in this lineup.