The Cubs were leading the Pirates 1-0 in the top of the third with two outs and a runner on first when one of the wildest sequences unfolded. Javy Báez hit a routine ground ball to third, which should have ended the inning with a simple throw to first. Instead, the first baseman tried to chase Báez back toward home plate instead of just stepping on the bag. Báez kept the rundown alive long enough for the runner from second to sprint home and score. The Pirates then tried to throw Báez out at first but missed again, letting Báez reach second. It was a blown play every step of the way. No one covered first properly. No one communicated. The Cubs dugout couldn’t believe it.
To make it worse for Pittsburgh, they still had a chance to end the damage, but Ian Happ followed with a hit that scored Báez. A grounder to first in the next at-bat wasn’t handled cleanly either, and the Pirates looked lost. Eventually, they got a routine pop fly to end the inning, but not before giving up two runs that should never have scored. The Pirates’ defense fell apart. The first baseman took the brunt of the disaster, and Báez turned a nothing play into chaos. The Cubs got laughs. The Pirates got embarrassed.