PITTSBURGH – First came the take-out slide by former Chicago Cubs outfielder Chris Coghlan on Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang. Then the wild-card game featured the benches clearing after several hit-by-pitches, and now we have another chapter in the budding rivalry between the Cubs and Pirates.
Both benches were warned on Monday night after Ben Zobrist was hit by a pitch from Pirates hurler Kyle Lobstein in the seventh inning of the Cubs' eventual 7-2 win. That came after Cubs starter Jason Hammel hit Starling Marte one inning earlier.