Dansby Swanson hits slam, Cubs steal eight bases and pound out 21 hits in an 18-8 win over Pirates

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Dansby Swanson hit a grand slam to cap an eight-run sixth inning, and the Chicago Cubs had eight stolen bases – their most in a game in more than 100 years — on the way to an 18-8 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.

Swanson’s slam came off Domingo German, was the third of the shortstop’s nine-year career and pushed the Cubs’ lead to 9-2.

The Cubs last had eight steals in 1913.

Rookie center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong led the way with three steals as the Cubs won for the seventh time in 10 games. That raised his season total to 26 in 93 games. Crow-Armstrong has only been caught once this year.

“I think we’ve done a good job all year of going into it with the mindset of being aggressive on the bases,” Crow-Armstrong said. “Against these guys, we’ve had a pretty good plan and you saw it today because guys were very aggressive.”

Ian Happ added two steals and Nico Hoerner, Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki had one each. All eight steals came in eight attempts against catcher Yasmani Grandal. Starter Mitch Keller was on the mound for seven steals during his four innings.

Chicago entered the game eighth in the major leagues in stolen bases with 112.

“There wasn’t a lot that went right tonight, so I don’t know if I would highlight the stolen bases as being the issue,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “But, yeah, we’ve got to do a better job of holding runners.”

Miguel Amaya had a career-high four hits and four RBIs for the Cubs. His double knocked in the first two runs in the big sixth inning to make it 5-2 before Suzuki hit a run-scoring single, Hoerner drew a bases-loaded walk from German and Swanson hit his slam.

Amaya is 12 for 18 with three homers and 10 RBIs in his last five games.

Suzuki also had four of the Cubs’ 21 hits and Crow-Armstrong added three as Chicago set a season-high in runs. Cody Bellinger and Isaac Paredes had two hits and two RBIs each with Paredes belting a solo home run in the eighth off Brady Feigl to extend the lead to 12-4.

“Having depth in the lineup one through nine is a big deal in the game today,” Swanson said. “Everyone’s contributing right now and there’s evidence of that over the last month, month and a half.”

The Cubs are 15-8 since July 31.

Jameson Taillon (9-8) won for just the second time in seven starts as he gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. He did not have any walks and struck out three.

Keller (11-8) was lifted after four innings and 97 pitches, falling to 1-3 with a 5.05 ERA in his last eight starts. Keller was charged with three runs while giving up seven hits and two walks after Pittsburgh had won six of its previous eight games.

German was tagged for eight runs in 2 2/3 innings.

“We did a nice job offensively tonight against a really good pitcher,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Look, it you knock the starter out in the fourth inning, that’s good offense. “We had a lot of good at-bats, got on base and made some things happen running the bases.”

The left-handed Feigl relieved German in the seventh inning and made his major-league debut 10 years after being signed as an undrafted amateur free agent by Atlanta. The 33-year-old spent the last two seasons pitching in the independent Atlantic League before being signed by the Pirates this year and assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Feigl surrendered six runs in 1 2/3 innings. Pitching for the second time in three days, first baseman Rowdy Tellez took over for Feigl and got the last two outs in the ninth.

Jared Triolo had two hits and two RBIs for the Pirates and Connor Joe hit a two-run home run in the ninth off Jack Neely.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: LHP Jordan Wicks (right oblique strain) is scheduled for a fifth rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Friday. He has been out since June 15.

Pirates: Gonzales (left groin strain) was activated from the 10-day injured list and C Joey Bart (left hamstring strain) was placed on the 10-day IL. C Henry Davis was recalled from Indianapolis and RHP Jake Woodford was designated for assignment.

UP NEXT

Pirates rookie RHP Jared Jones (5-6, 3.56 ERA) is expected to be activated from the IL on Tuesday night and make his first start since sustaining a strained right lat muscle on July 3. LHP Justin Steele (4-5, 3.07) will pitch for the Cubs.

This story has been updated to delete an erroneous reference to Swanson hitting second grand slam this year.

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

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Chicago Cubs' Miguel Amaya celebrates after his RBI single during the second inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ, right, steals second ahead of the tag by Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Nick Gonzales, left, during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong hits an RBI single during the second inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki celebrates after scoring during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Bryan Reynolds, right, is greeted by Oneil Cruz, left, after he hit a home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Jack Neely, right, celebrates with catcher Miguel Amaya, left, after getting the final out of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Chicago Cubs teammates celebrate their win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson hits a grand slam during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki hits a ground rule double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson tosses his bat after hitting a grand slam during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins will bring in another quarterback while starter Tua Tagovailoa deals with his latest concussion, and coach Mike McDaniel insisted Friday that the only thing that should matter to him — or anyone — is Tagovailoa's health.

For the short term at least, Skylar Thompson will be considered the Dolphins' starter while Tagovailoa is sidelined. Tagovailoa left Thursday night's 31-10 loss to Buffalo in the third quarter with the third known concussion of his NFL career, all of them coming in the last 24 months.

“The team and the organization are very confident in Skylar,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel said the team has not made any decision about whether to place Tagovailoa on injured reserve. Tagovailoa was expected at the team facility sometime Friday to start the process of being evaluated in earnest.

How long that process takes is one of the countless unknowns right now.

“The people that matter most, and their opinions, are Tua, the doctors and the experts,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel said he tried to call Tagovailoa around 9 a.m. Friday to check on him but didn't connect because the quarterback was still asleep. The two have expressed often over their time together that their relationship is close and McDaniel tried to make clear multiple times Friday that his top priority is Tagovailoa's well-being — not when he plays again.

“All the science behind concussions tells you what we’ve learned is how delicate the time is right after an injury and how important it is that you don’t institute extra sources of anxiety,” McDaniel said. “So, from my vantage point, I feel it’s supremely important in understanding that, that I’m not giving off any sort of vibes.”

There are a slew of veteran quarterbacks available for the Dolphins to consider, including Jimmy Garoppolo and former Miami starter Ryan Tannehill. The Dolphins have not revealed any players who are under consideration, and — despite plenty of former players suggesting it may be time for Tagovailoa to consider his long-term health — McDaniel said it would be “so wrong” for him to even think about weighing in on whether the quarterback should play again.

“I wish people would for a second hear what I’m saying, that bringing up his future is not in the best interest of him,” McDaniel said. "So, I’m going to plead with everybody that does genuinely care — that should be the last thing on your mind.”

McDaniel added that he doesn't see Tagovailoa playing in Miami's next game at Seattle on Sept. 22.

Tagovailoa was hurt on a play where he collided into Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin. Tagovailoa, who was rushing successfully for a first down, initiated the contact by lowering his shoulder into Hamlin instead of sliding as many quarterbacks do on a scramble.

McDaniel gave his quarterback a kiss on the side of the head as he left the field Thursday. McDaniel revealed Friday that, in that moment, he was telling Tagovailoa to focus on what matters most — his health and his family.

“All I'm telling Tua is everyone is counting on you to be a dad and be a dad this weekend," McDaniel said. “And then we'll move from there.”

There are five steps, as mandated by the NFL concussion protocol, that Tagovailoa will have to clear before he can return to the field. That process can take days or even weeks.

Tagovailoa was 17 for 25 passing for 145 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions — one of which was returned for a Buffalo score — when he got hurt. Thompson completed eight of 14 passes for 80 yards.

“We’re just evaluating the pros and cons for the different situations and getting through all those possibilities to do the best thing for the team,” McDaniel said, when revealing that the team had already decided to bring in another quarterback. "But as it stands today, I’m expecting that Skylar is the next man up.”

Thompson said he feels “fully equipped” to run the Dolphins' offense.

“What’s going to lie ahead, who knows, but man, I’m confident, though,” Thompson said after Thursday's game. “I feel like I’m ready for whatever’s to come. I’m going to prepare and work hard and do everything I can to lead this team and do my job.”

AP NFL: http://www.apnews.com/hub/NFL

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel talks during a news conference following an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel talks to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) as he leaves the game after suffering a concussion during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) lies on the field after suffering a concussion during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Dolphins will bring in another quarterback, while Tagovailoa deals with concussion

Dolphins will bring in another quarterback, while Tagovailoa deals with concussion