CHICAGO (AP) — Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Friday.
The Pirates loaded the bases in the 10th on Ke’Bryan Hayes' infield single and a walk to Henry Davis. Kiner-Falefa then drove in Adam Frazier with a flyball to left off Drew Pomeranz (2-1).
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Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton (22) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)
Pittsburgh Pirates Bryan Reynolds (10) slides safely into second base with a double as Chicago Cubs second base Nico Hoerner (2) waits for a throw during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, June 13, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)
Kiner-Falefa also threw out Ian Happ when he attempted to score from first on Kyle Tucker's two-out double in the fifth inning.
Dennis Santana (2-1) got five outs for the win, and David Bednar worked a perfect 10th for his 10th save.
Pirates ace Paul Skenes struck out five in five scoreless innings. He allowed four hits and walked two while throwing 95 pitches, 60 for strikes.
Skenes was matched by Cade Horton, who permitted three hits in 5 2/3 shutout innings for the NL Central leaders.
Each team scored in the eighth.
The Pirates jumped in front when Davis scored on Oneil Cruz's chopper near the mound. Reliever Brad Keller made an errant throw to the plate.
The Cubs put runners on second and third with one out in the bottom half, and Dansby Swanson drove in Kyle Tucker when he bounced to Kiner-Falefa at shortstop for a fielder's choice.
Santana worked a perfect ninth before Bednar retired the side in order in the 10th.
Skenes has allowed a total of five earned runs in 47 1/3 innings over his last seven starts. But he has just one win in that stretch.
The series continues Saturday afternoon when Pirates right-hander Mike Burrows (1-1, 5.00 ERA) faces lefty Matthew Boyd (5-3, 2.89 ERA).
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Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton (22) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)
Pittsburgh Pirates Bryan Reynolds (10) slides safely into second base with a double as Chicago Cubs second base Nico Hoerner (2) waits for a throw during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, June 13, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is meeting with oil executives at the White House on Friday in hopes of securing $100 billion in investments to revive Venezuela’s ability to fully tap into its expansive reserves of petroleum — a plan that rides on their comfort in making commitments in a country plagued by instability, inflation and uncertainty.
Since the U.S. military raid to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump has quickly pivoted to portraying the move as a newfound economic opportunity for the U.S., seizing tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, saying the U.S. is taking over the sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned Venezuelan oil and will be controlling sales worldwide indefinitely.
On Friday, U.S. forces seized their fifth tanker over the past month that has been linked to Venezuelan oil. The action reflected the determination of the U.S. to fully control the exporting, refining and production of Venezuelan petroleum, a sign of the Trump administration's plans for ongoing involvement in the sector as it seeks commitments from private companies.
It's all part of a broader push by Trump to keep gasoline prices low. At a time when many Americans are concerned about affordability, the incursion in Venezuela melds Trump’s assertive use of presidential powers with an optical spectacle meant to convince Americans that he can bring down energy prices.
The meeting, set for 2:30 p.m. EST, will be open to the news media, according to an update to the president's daily schedule. “At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House,” Trump said Friday in a pre-dawn social media post.
Trump is set to meet with executives from 17 oil companies, according to the White House. Among the companies attending are Chevron, which still operates in Venezuela, and ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, which both had oil projects in the country that were lost as part of a 2007 nationalization of private businesses under Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez.
The president is meeting with a wide swath of domestic and international companies with interests ranging from construction to the commodity markets. Other companies slated to be at the meeting include Halliburton, Valero, Marathon, Shell, Singapore-based Trafigura, Italy-based Eni and Spain-based Repsol.
Large U.S. oil companies have so far largely refrained from affirming investments in Venezuela as contracts and guarantees need to be in place. Trump has suggested on social media that America would help to backstop any investments.
Venezuela’s oil production has slumped below one million barrels a day. Part of Trump's challenge to turn that around will be to convince oil companies that his administration has a stable relationship with Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez, as well as protections for companies entering the market.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are slated to attend the oil executives meeting, according to the White House.
Meanwhile, the United States and Venezuelan governments said Friday they were exploring the possibility of r estoring diplomatic relations between the two countries, and that a delegation from the Trump administration arrived to the South American nation on Friday.
The small team of U.S. diplomats and diplomatic security officials traveled to Venezuela to make a preliminary assessment about the potential re-opening of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, the State Department said in a statement.
Trump also announced on Friday he’d meet with President Gustavo Petro in early February, but called on the Colombian leader to make quick progress on stemming flow of cocaine into the U.S.
Trump, following the ouster of Maduro, had made vague threats to take similar action against Petro. Trump abruptly changed his tone Wednesday about his Colombian counterpart after a friendly phone call in which he invited Petro to visit the White House.
President Donald Trump waves as he walks off stage after speaking to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
