Arrieta makes triumphant return as Cubs beat Pirates 5-1

Jake Arrieta pitched six solid innings in a triumphant return to the Cubs, Kris Bryant and Jason Heyward homered, and Chicago beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 on Saturday afternoon.

Arrieta (1-0) got a warm reception prior to the game, then gave up just one run and six hits. The 35-year-old right-hander struck out five and walked one.

Arrieta played 4 1/2 years for Chicago, winning a Cy Young Award and a World Series, before signing with Philadelphia in March 2018. He returned to the Cubs in February for a $6 million, one-year contract.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Tyler Anderson throws against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Saturday, April 3, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Bryant made it 3-1 in the third with a solo homer against Tyler Anderson, and Heyward bumped the lead to three with a long drive to the right-field bleachers off Clay Holmes in the sixth. The Cubs added another run in the seventh when Bryant walked and scored.

Javier Báez singled twice, drove in a run and scored one. He also stole two bases.

Brandon Workman, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel each threw a perfect inning, combining to strike out seven and walk none. The Cubs avoided their first 0-2 start since the 2014 team lost the first two.

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Kevin Newman hits a one-run single against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Saturday, April 3, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Pittsburgh’s Ke’Bryan Hayes left the game because of discomfort in his left wrist. He jammed his hand diving back to first on a pickoff attempt after walking in the first inning.

Hayes scored on Kevin Newman’s two-out single. But Erik González batted for him in the third and remained at third base.

Anderson (0-1) went five innings in his Pirates debut, allowing three runs and five hits. The left-hander, who signed with Pittsburgh in free agency, struck out seven and walked two.

Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant, right, points after hitting a solo home run as Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Jacob Stallings looks to the field during the third inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Saturday, April 3, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

CRICK'S RETURN

Pirates right-hander Kyle Crick was going through the intake process after being away from the team for the birth of his child. Manager Derek Shelton said he could be cleared as soon as Sunday. Crick had a 1.59 ERA in seven relief appearances last year.

UP NEXT

Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Chicago, Saturday, April 3, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

RHP Zach Davies, acquired from San Diego for NL Cy Young Award runner-up Yu Darvish, makes his Cubs debut, while RHP Mitch Keller starts for Pittsburgh on his 25th birthday. Davies was 7-4 with a 2.73 ERA in 12 starts for the Padres last year after playing his first five seasons for Milwaukee. Keller had a 2.91 ERA in five starts for the Pirates.

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier (26) catches a fly ball by Chicago Cubs' Willson Contreras during the third inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Saturday, April 3, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs center fielder Jake Marisnick catches a fly ball by Pittsburgh Pirates' Adam Frazier during the third inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Saturday, April 3, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant checks his bat during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Chicago, Saturday, April 3, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant, left, celebrates with teammate Javier Baez after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Chicago, Saturday, April 3, 2021. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)

Roberto Perez drove in three runs, Michael Chavis broke a tie with a home run in the fourth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 4-2 on Friday night.

The Cubs were held scoreless over the final seven innings by Pirates left-hander Jose Quintana and four relievers in a game that started nearly six hours late because of forecasted inclement weather.

The Pirates have won two consecutive games, while the Cubs dropped their fourth consecutive game.

Pittsburgh Pirates' Michael Chavis is congratulated for his home run off Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Drew Smyly during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoCharles Rex Arbogast)

Perez hit a two-run single in the second to snap a streak of 10 2/3 scoreless innings by Cubs left-hander Drew Smyly (1-1) to start the season. Perez led off the fifth with his first homer of the season to extend the Pirates’ lead.

After going hitless in his previous 10 at-bats, Perez has three hits in his last six at-bats.

Michael Hermosillo snapped an 0-for-12 slump to start the season by hitting a two-run double in the second to account for the Cubs’ scoring.

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, right, dives safely back to first on a pickoff-attempt by Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher David Bednar, back left, to Michael Chavis (2) in the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoCharles Rex Arbogast)

Two batters earlier, Quintana was struck on the left leg by a line drive by Jonathan Villar but stayed in the game. Quintana, who pitched for the Cubs from 2017-20, pitched 4 2/3 innings, striking out three, walking three and giving up three hits.

Pirates relievers have held the Cubs scoreless over 10 1/3 innings in the first two games of this four-game series. Chicago's Nick Madrigal grounded to second with the tying run at first to give Chris Stratton his second save in as many nights. Chase De Jong (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

Smyly pitched five innings, had four strikeouts, and gave up six hits, four runs and one walk.

Pittsburgh Pirates' Roberto Perez watches his home run off Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Drew Smyly in the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoCharles Rex Arbogast)

Seiya Suzuki snapped an 0-for-10 rut with a single to start the eighth, but reliever David Bednar struck out the next three batters.

A first-inning rally ended when Willson Contreras grounded into the Cubs’ major league-leading 17th double play.

Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a single in the first and is now 7-for-13 in four games against the Cubs and is batting .362 (17-for-47) lifetime against them.

Chicago Cubs' Michael Hermosillo watches his two-run double off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jose Quintana in the second inning of a baseball game Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. Cubs' Patrick Wisdom and Yan Gomes scored on the play. (AP PhotoCharles Rex Arbogast)

TRAINER’S ROOM

PIRATES: OF Anthony Alford (right wrist sprain) was reinstated from the 10-day IL. INF/OF Hoy Park was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.

CUBS: OF Clint Frazier was placed on the 10-day injured list due to an appendicitis. OF Alfonso Rivas was recalled from Triple-A Iowa. … RHP Alec Mills (lower back strain) will make a rehab start Saturday at Iowa. … LHP Wade Miley (elbow soreness) threw a bullpen session Friday.

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki grounds into in force out the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoCharles Rex Arbogast)

UP NEXT

Pirates RHP Zach Thompson (0-1, 9.00) will face the Cubs on Saturday. Thompson allowed six runs in four innings Monday night in a 6-1 loss to the Brewers.

Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 6.08) will take the mound against the Pirates. Hendricks allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings Monday in a 4-2 win over the Rays.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Drew Smyly delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoCharles Rex Arbogast)

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jose Quintana delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Chicago. (AP PhotoCharles Rex Arbogast)