Cubs to celebrate late on Friday? Don’t count on it

Maddon also supported Javier Baez’s bunt attempt down the first-base line to start the eighth.

Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant (17) celebrates with manager Joe Maddon… But the classic spectacle of hitters clobbering soft tosses from gray-haired coaches while pitchers make small talk in the outfield has become a rarity.

[MORE: Joe Maddon: No place for retribution in Cubs-Pirates rivalry].

“Before our game at Wrigley Field this afternoon, we were notified of a potential bomb threat”, a Chicago Cubs spokesman said in a statement.

Despite the Cubs dropping Friday’s series opener, a San Francisco Giants loss to the Oakland Athletics later on this evening will erase their magic number and put them in the postseason for the first time since 2008.

“But those guys over there understand the way I play, and it wasn’t a dirty play”.

“I know that he’s got a competitive chip that’s special”, manager Clint Hurdle said.

After fielding Marte’s chopper with the infield in, Castro took a quick peek at home plate before taking the safer out, enabling Jordy Mercer to score as the Pirates held on for a 3-2 win.

If that happens, I strongly suggest the Cubs celebrate long into the night.

The Cubs tied it in the fourth when Bryant led off with a single and scored from third on a force by Addison Russell.

Pirates third baseman Aramis Ramirez doubled into the left-field corner leading off the seventh.

“It has been a great learning curve overall the last two weeks”, veteran Cubs catcher David Ross said. The 31-year-old is coming off a solid outing, as he held the Los Angeles Dodgers to two runs and struck out nine over seven innings in a win last Saturday, but he hasn’t posted consecutive quality starts since July. The under is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings in Chicago.

Pittsburgh’s offense hopes to get to Lester early to prevent him from going deep into the game for his third straight time against them this season.

The Cubs had runners on first and second in the eighth, but Tony Watson struck out Anthony Rizzo to end the threat. The Pirates clinched a playoff berth Wednesday in Colorado.

Pittsburgh increased its lead for the NL’s top wild card to 4 1/2 games over the Cubs, who would have secured their first postseason appearance since 2008 with a victory.

Tomorrow afternoon, the Pirates will send Francisco Liriano (11-7) to the hill to face right-hander Jason Hammel (9-6). While the average major-league slider in 2015 reads 84.3 miles per hour, Cole’s is at 87 overall and 88 against left-handers.

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The likely play-in game matchup of the Pirates and Cubs did not disappoint for excitement, however.