Jeff Samardjzia went the distance for the Chicago Cubs as they defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Saturday night. The former Notre Dame football standout struck out nine, allowing only four hits and walking a single batter as he went the distance in this one.
A Pedro Alvarez two-run double put the Pirates out in front in the first inning, but Samardjzia would settle down after that. The Cubs would get themselves on the board in the second with an Alfonso Soriano solo homerun. Tony Campana would then even the score in the third when he scored as Luis Valbuena grounded into a double play.
The Cubs would go ahead in the fifth as Campana scored for the second time. This time he doubled, stole third, and then scored on a Luis Valbuena sacrifice fly. Jeff Clement would level the score for the Pirates in the bottom of the seventh, but the Cubs would quickly regain the lead in the eighth as David DeJesus singled in Wellington Castillo.
The Cubs and Pirates will take the field again tomorrow at 12:35 a.m. CT with Chris Rusin scheduled to go for the Cubs. He'll be opposed by Jeff Locke of the Pirates.
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