The Chicago Cubs offense isn’t reliant on home runs, but long balls were pivotal in an 8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.

Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki all took Pirates ace Paul Skenes deep in the fifth inning as the Cubs pulled away for an 8-3 victory.

Seiya Suzuki fell just a single shy of the cycle while leading the Chicago Cubs to a dominant 9-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, highlighted by four home runs and a lights-out pitching performance.

The Chicago Cubs (18-13) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (12-19) wrap up a 3-game series Thursday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. First pitch is scheduled for 12:35 p.m. ET. Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's MLB odds around the Cubs vs. Pirates odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly made six early trade predictions, including one where the Cubs end up with former NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara from the Miami Marlins. “But while the Marlins don’t have to trade Alcántara,

If the Chicago Cubs continue winning, they will be looking to unload one of their top prospects at this summer's MLB trade deadline.

Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki all took Pirates ace Paul Skenes deep in the fifth inning as the Cubs pulled away for an 8-3 victory on Thursday. Suzuki later added a two-run shot off reliever Kyle Nicolas as Chicago took two of three from the last-place Pirates.

The Chicago Cubs then went out and offered tangible proof, taking the Pittsburgh ace deep three times in the fifth inning of what became an 8-3 Pirates loss on Thursday in a performance that was decidedly unSkenes-like, at least by the 22-year-old’s remarkably high standards.

The Chicago Cubs steamrolled the Pittsburgh Pirates all week, but MLB fans are more concerned with Shota Imanaga's willingness to teach Paul Skenes a few tricks