The Chicago Cubs took care of business again on Tuesday, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-1, as Cade Horton claimed the 11th win of his rookie season on the hill.

Horton only went five innings, but he held the Pirates to three hits and one run as he struck out six and walked one. Chicago sent in four relievers as they one-hit the Pirates, with Brad Keller picking up a save. Michael Busch hit a solo home run off Pirates starter Paul Skenes and Pete Crow-Armstrong drove in two runs.

The Cubs (87-64) chipped away at their magic number with the victory, but an odd scheduling quirk held Chicago off from clinching a playoff berth on Tuesday.

Chicago had a magic number of two going into the game. That’s a combination of Cubs wins and Arizona Diamondbacks losses to claim the playoff berth. With the win, Chicago had the number down to one.

All Arizona had to do was lose to the San Francisco Giants and the Cubs would have their playoff berth secured. But there was a problem. The Giants were also in the hunt for a playoff berth. Because the Giants were only a half-game behind the Diamondbacks, Chicago had the same magic number with San Francisco — two.

So, whether Arizona won or San Francisco won, one of them would leave the Cubs with a magic number of one, since the Cubs need both to lose. Arizona beat San Francisco, 6-5. So, with a win on Wednesday over Pittsburgh, or a Diamondbacks loss, the Cubs will clinch.

Chicago has built a sizeable advantage for the first NL wild card seed, as the Cubs are now five games ahead of the San Diego Padres after they lost on Tuesday. Clinching the top wild card seed would allow Chicago to host a wild card series.

As for the National League Central race, Milwaukee won to maintain a five-game lead over Chicago.

The Cubs are trying to get to the playoffs for the first time since 2020, when they won the NL Central title during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. That ended a run of five playoff berths in six seasons, which included the 2016 World Series title, the franchise’s first championship in more than a century.

Chicago Cubs Magic Number Watch

Magic Number to Clinch Playoff Berth: 1

Chicago Cubs Games Remaining: 11

Chicago Cubs Remaining Schedule: Sept. 17, at Pittsburgh; Sept. 18-21, at Cincinnati; Sept. 23-25 vs. New York Mets; Sept. 26-28, vs. St. Louis.

NL Wild Card Race (after Sept. 16)

Chicago Cubs: 87-64 (9.0 games ahead)

San Diego Padres: 82-69 (4.0 games ahead)

New York Mets: 78-73 (last wild card berth)

Arizona Diamondbacks: 77-75 (1.5 games behind final berth)

NL Central Update

Milwaukee Brewers: 92-59 (clinched playoff berth)

Chicago Cubs: 87-64 (5.0 games behind)

Brewers Magic Number to clinch NL Central: 7

Brewers Games Remaining: 11

Milwaukee Brewers Remaining Schedule (11 games): Sept. 17-18, vs. Los Angeles Angels; Sept. 19-21, at St. Louis; Sept. 22-24 at San Diego; Sept. 26-28, vs. Cincinnati.

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