PITTSBURGH -- The Cubs apparently play better on less sleep.
Mike Olt hit his first Major League home run to help Jason Hammel win his Cubs debut and post a 3-2 victory Thursday over the Pirates, giving Chicago manager Rick Renteria his first victory.
The win came after the Cubs opened with two extra-innings losses, including Wednesday's 16-inning marathon that ended shortly after 1 a.m. ET Thursday. The quick turnaround for the 12:35 p.m. start in the series finale may be the reason Junior Lake was wearing the wrong jersey. In the first inning, the left fielder had on last year's grey road top, which has "Chicago" across the chest. The new version, which all his teammates were wearing, says "Cubs."
 
 Hammel keeps Pirates down in nearly spotless debut
 
Lake did switch, and hopefully grabbed some coffee in the clubhouse, too.
Hammel, who signed a one-year, $6 million deal in February, days before pitchers and catchers reported, held the Pirates to two hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out five. The Cubs bullpen was short-handed because of Thursday's game, and appreciated the right-hander's effort.
Hammel was at the team hotel and not at PNC Park for the end of Wednesday's game, but his groggy teammates backed him up. Emilio Bonifacio can apparently fall out of bed and hit. He led off with a single, his 10th hit in his 13th at-bat. He stole second, and two outs later, scored on Anthony Rizzo's single, the first time the Cubs had a lead this season.
Olt, who hoped to continue his spring comeback story this season, made it 2-0 with a leadoff home run in the second off Wandy Rodriguez, hitting an opposite-field shot to right for his first big league homer.
Bonifacio doubled to open the third for hit No. 11 of the season, and scored one batter later when Justin Ruggiano grounded into a double play. When Bonifacio grounded out in the fifth, the crowd of 11,418 at PNC Park cheered. Finally.
But with two outs in the the Pirates' seventh, Hammel walked Neil Walker and was lifted. Pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez doubled off James Russell, and Tony Sanchez singled to drive in both runners and close it to 3-2.
Now, the Cubs head to Chicago for their home opener. Renteria has yet to see his office at Wrigley Field.
"It's not so much the eagerness to get there, but the season is moving forward and it's going to be nice to be in our home ballpark," Renteria said. "It's going to be an exciting moment for all of us. Like I've said, it's still baseball."
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
 

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