Ramírez escapes bases-loaded jams in 10th, 11th innings, NL Central-leading Pirates beat Cubs 4-3

CHICAGO (AP) — Yohan Ramírez escaped bases-loaded jams in the 10th and 11th innings, and the Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of a throwing error by Caleb Thielbar to score the go-ahead run in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday that clinched the three-game series.

Alex Bregman's RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning on an 0-2 pitch off Dennis Santana tied the score 3-3 but the NL Central-leading Pirates (9-5) rebounded and won for the eighth time in 10 games, improving to 2-0 this season in series against division rivals.

Oneil Cruz was 4 for 5 with a double, becoming the first Pittsburgh player with at least four hits and three stolen bases in a game since Matt Lawton on July 26, 2005, and Nick Yorke had three hits.

Chicago stranded 16 runners and went 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position. Michael Busch went 0 for 3 and is hitless in 30 at-bats.

Pittsburgh went ahead in the 11th when Brandon Lowe hit a two-out grounder to Thielbar (1-2), who bounced his throw to the infield side of first, and the ball bounced off Matt Shaw's mitt for an error that allowed Mitt Gonzales to score from second. Lowe was credited with an infield single.

Ramírez got out of the 10th when Dansby Swanson grounded out. Then in the 11th, Ramírez threw wildly past first on Nico Hoerner's leadoff comebacker for an error that advanced Swanson, the automatic runner, to third as Hoerner took second.

Matt Shaw flied out to medium right field, Bregman fouled out and an intentional walk to Ian Happ loaded the bases. Seiya Suzuki got ahead 3-0 in the count, tool a called strike and then fouled out.

Pirates starter Braxton Ashcraft struck out a career-best nine in five innings while allowing a run on Hoerner’s fifth-inning RBI groundout, which cut the Cubs' deficit to 3-1.

Cubs starter Edward Cabrera gave up three runs, eight hits and three walks in five innings.

Pittsburgh RHP Bubba Chandler (0-1) and Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (0-1) start Sunday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz (15) scores against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz (15) scores past Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya (9) during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz (15) celebrates in the dugout after scoring against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Yohan Ramírez (49) points to a fly ball hit by Chicago Cubs' pinch hitter Seiya Suzuki that first baseman Ryan O'Hearn (29) then caught to end a baseball game, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Yohan Ramírez celebrates after a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

LONDON (AP) — Tyson Fury showed little rust in dominating Arslanbek Makhmudov for a unanimous decision victory Saturday and immediately challenged a ringside Anthony Joshua to fight him next.

“Let's give the fight fans what they want,” Fury bellowed after going 12 rounds in his latest comeback.

A long-awaited Fury-Joshua heavyweight showdown would be one of the biggest fights in British boxing history.

Joshua sat ringside and appeared to be using his phone to film portions of the fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He didn't commit to anything when Fury (35-2-1) yelled into the Netflix microphone: “Do you accept my challenge?”

Joshua said, “I'll punch you up,” and “I’m the landlord. You work for me.”

As for Saturday's fight, the self-described “Gypsy King" had a fairly slow start but otherwise dictated the pace with his left jab and in later rounds landed frequent lead uppercuts on Makhmudov (21-3). Two judges scored it 120-108 and the other 119-109.

The 36-year-old Joshua, a former world champion, later told Netflix in an interview: “Contracts will be sent over. You’ll probably see us in the ring.”

He noted he's still “sorting some things out” following the death of two close friends in a fatal car accident in Nigeria. Joshua was a passenger in the vehicle.

The 37-year-old Fury, the former two-time heavyweight champion, called it quits shortly after losing to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024 for a second time — his only two professional defeats.

At Fury's request, his ring walk was preceded by a tribute to the late Ricky Hatton, the Manchester native and former world champion who died last year at age 46.

The message “RIP Ricky” was stitched on the back of Fury's shorts.

Conor Benn earned a 10-round unanimous decision over Regis Prograis to bolster his case for a title shot against WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia.

Benn (24-5, 14 KOs) took command in the middle rounds with punishing body shots against 37-year-old Prograis (30-4, 24 KOs), a former two-time world champion at super lightweight (140 lbs).

Saturday's bout was at a catchweight of 150 lbs.

All three judges scored it 98-92 for the 29-year-old Briton, who sustained cuts over both eyes from head clashes.

AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing

Boxers Conor Benn's face is bloodied during welterweight bout Regis Prograis at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

Boxers Conor Benn, left, and Regis Prograis battle during a welterweight bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

Boxer Tyson Fury, left, punches Arslanbek Makhmudov during a heavyweight bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

Boxer Anthony Joshua reacts following the heavyweight bout between Tyson Fury and Arslanbek Makhmudov in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

Boxer Tyson Fury, right, punches Arslanbek Makhmudov during a heavyweight bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)