All of the hoopla over the Chicago Cubs' reinforced lineup was validated in the first five innings Tuesday night.
But when the offense stopped, the Cubs went into virtual shutdown mode before squeaking out an 8-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in 11 innings at soggy PNC Park.
Ian Happ, who stayed in the leadoff spot after the return of Kris Bryant from the injured list, capped a three-hit game with a single to score Nico Hoerner with the go-ahead run.
Jeremy Jeffress got Erik Gonzalez to ground into a double play to end the 10th and locked up Jacob Stallings on a called third strike to end the game and earn the win.
The Cubs blew a 6-1 lead as the Pirates rallied for four runs off starter Jon Lester in the sixth. Dan Winkler was set to start the eighth in relief of Kyle Ryan before rain caused a 71-minute delay.
Manager David Ross stuck with Winkler when play resumed, and Ke'Bryan Hayes cranked a 2-0 pitch over the center-field fence for a tying home run in his first major-league game.
The Cubs were coasting with Lester at 72 pitches entering the sixth until Stallings singled and Colin Moran walked, necessitating a mound visit by pitching coach Tommy Hottovy.
Hayes, the son of former major-league third baseman Charlie Hayes, hit an RBI double for his first major-league hit, and Adam Frazier and Jose Osuna followed with RBI hits that made it 6-4 and put the tying run at second.
Colin Rea, who pitched two-thirds of an inning Sunday to receive credit for the win, took over for Lester and got some help from Happ.
Happ made a diving catch in center to rob Gonzalez of a tying hit _ Frazier came home on the sacrifice fly to make it 6-5 _ and Rea got Cole Tucker to ground to first to end the threat.
The Cubs' new-look lineup featured a leadoff home run from Happ and a two-run homer by Kyle Schwarber, his third homer in two games, in the fifth.
Schwarber's homer capped a three-run rally that started when Bryant, who returned from the 10-day injured list earlier in the day, led off with a single.
Bryant batted in the second spot for the first time this season. Javier Baez, who was 5-for-24 on this trip, followed with a RBI double.
Jason Kipnis staked Lester to a 2-0 lead in the second on a bases-loaded walk and added a two-out RBI single in the fourth.
Jose Martinez went 0-for-3 in his Cubs debut before Victor Caratini pinch-hit for him in the eighth and grounded into a double play.
This marked the first time this season the Cubs opted for a seven-man bullpen after they designated reliever Casey Sadler for assignment before the game.
