When Aramis Ramirez sent that harmless chopper to the left side of the Chicago infield Wednesday night, it appeared the number of Cubs who easily could have turned it into the final out of the fifth inning numbered anywhere between two and four.
But third baseman Kris Bryant did a total eclipse of his shortstop, the oft-unreliable Starlin Castro, who waved what had become a grounder into left field like a disinterested flagman on a remote two-lane road. Second baseman Addison Russell and pitcher Dan Haren had come over to take a look at this little ballet, the result of which was a gift run for the Pirates in a game the home team would eventually win, 7-5, and with some urgency.