PITTSBURGH – The Cubs didn’t see Dan Haren as their first choice or a long-term solution. But they knew he had guts and needed someone to keep them in games, preventing the fifth-starter spot from becoming a black hole.
Haren didn’t make the greatest first impression on Wednesday night, getting the no-decision in a 7-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. But the defense looked sloppy and the bullpen didn’t deliver, either, as the Cubs saw their six-game winning streak end.
Haren – who was acquired from the Miami Marlins in the final hours before the July 31 trade deadline – gave up four runs (three earned) in five innings.