Pirates-Cubs game suspended by rain in 7th inning

CHICAGO (AP) — Mike Olt is hoping his work in the minors will produce more success in the majors.

Olt was recalled by the Chicago Cubs on Friday after a two-game rehab stint with Class A Kane County for a strained left hamstring. The rookie third baseman, acquired in the July 2013 trade that sent pitcher Matt Garza to Texas, was hitting .139 with 12 homers and 30 RBIs when he was sent down to Triple-A Iowa on July 22.

"I had to go down and make a physical adjustment," Olt said before Chicago's game against Pittsburgh was suspended by rain in the seventh inning with the score tied at 3. "What I was doing up here wasn't working and, you know, you get into a funk, and went down there and changed my swing a little bit. Made it so it's a little more simple."

The Pirates and Cubs waited through a 37-minute rain delay in the fifth, but more storms rolled through the area with Jordy Mercer at the plate in the top of the seventh. With more rain in the forecast, the game was called after a delay of 1 hour, 52 minutes.

The teams will resume play Saturday afternoon before their regularly scheduled matchup.

"I think it was a sound decision," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "We have some more weather coming. I think it was the right thing to do."

Cubs left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada left with one out in the fourth due to mild cramping in his left calf. He hit consecutive batters with pitches in the third and was charged with three runs, two earned, on three hits and one walk.

The gametime temperature was 88 degrees on a muggy afternoon, and Wada said he thought the heat got to him.

"This was something that I experienced in Japan in the past as well, so I just felt like it just kind of came up again," he said through a translator.

Wada was in line for the loss before Chris Valaika's two-out RBI single in the fifth. The Cubs then had runners on second and third, but Justin Wilson retired Olt in a pinch-hit appearance on a bouncer to second for the final out.

"I thought Justin did a great job leaving the two runners out there," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.

The 26-year-old Olt batted .302 with seven homers and 24 RBIs in 28 games with Iowa. With All-Star Anthony Rizzo sidelined by a strained lower back, Olt could see a lot of time at first base in addition to his usual spot at third.

"I think he'll play obviously some first base and then we'll take it day to day, see how his legs are doing," Renteria said before the game, "and continue to mix and match the rest of the guys."

The Cubs, who have won three in a row, played without Welington Castillo after the catcher was scratched due to tightness in his lower back.

"They just crossed me out of the lineup just to prevent something bigger in the future," Castillo said. "But I (told) them I'm good. I'm good to go tomorrow."

SOLER POWER

Cubs OF Jorge Soler hit a sacrifice fly in the third to give him at least one RBI in seven of his first eight major league games. He has 11 in all.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cubs: Renteria said the team hopes RHP Edwin Jackson will be able to pitch again this season. Jackson was placed on the disabled list Aug. 21 with a right lat strain.

UP NEXT

After the suspended game is completed Saturday, two left-handers take the mound when Pittsburgh's Francisco Liriano (3-10, 3.91 ERA) faces Felix Doubront (1-0, 1.29). Liriano is looking for his first win since July 29 at San Francisco, while Doubront is seeking his second straight victory after he pitched seven solid innings in his first appearance with the Cubs at St. Louis last Saturday.

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Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap