PITTSBURGH -- Esmerlyn Valdez hit a two-run home run to cap a five-run first inning Tuesday night and the Pittsburgh Pirates routed the skidding Cubs 12-1 to extend Chicago's losing streak to 10 games.
The rookie became the seventh player in Pirates' history to hit two home runs within the first four games of his major league career and the first since Austin Meadows in 2018.
The Cubs are only the second team in major league history to have two 10-game winning streaks and one 10-game losing streak in the same season, joining the 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
It's also the Cubs' longest losing streak since 2022.
Braxton Ashcraft (4-3) gave up one run and seven hits in 6â…“ innings while striking out five and walking one. He is 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA in five starts in May.
Valdez's homer gave the Pirates a 5-0 lead after Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run double earlier in the first off Jordan Wicks (0-1), who was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Sunday to bolster an injury-depleted rotation. Wicks was rocked for eight runs in 4â…“ innings.
Spencer Horwitz also homered for the Pirates, who won their third consecutive game. Oneil Cruz had three hits and Brandon Lowe, Reynolds, Nick Gonzales and Horwitz added two each. Valdez drove in three runs.
Konnor Griffin, a 20-year-old rookie shortstop, became the youngest leadoff hitter for the Pirates since 1952. He was 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored.
The Cubs' Alex Bregman and Carson Kelly had two hits each. Chicago went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners.
