PITTSBURGH — No matter how many times Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ returns to PNC Park, the experience is special.

The Pittsburgh native always has family and friends in the stands when the Cubs are in town. On Friday night that included his high school baseball coach sitting behind the on-deck circle watching Happ help lead the Cubs to a 7-2 win over the Pirates.

There are still moments when Happ will look up high to the left-field stands where he would sit with his $9 tickets to watch his hometown Pirates.

“It’s just really special,” Happ said. “Really cool, full circle.”

Happ had two hits in the victory, including an RBI double in the seventh inning to give the Cubs a three-run lead, to continue his hot hitting at PNC Park. Happ extended his major-league-record streak of 60 straight starts reaching safely against the Pirates dating to Sept. 26, 2018. In 52 career games at PNC, he is hitting .289 with 19 doubles, one triple, six home runs and 27 RBIs.

And to top off his multihit night, Happ’s home run robbery for the second out of the ninth came off the bat of Andrew McCutchen, whom he rooted for as a teen after the slugger debuted for the Pirates in 2009. Happ perfectly played the long drive to left field to prevent a two-run homer, giving a boost, too, for struggling reliever Adbert Alzolay and a much-needed scoreless ninth.

“I felt bad — I have so much respect for him,” Happ said of McCutchen. “Hitting that ball and bringing it back, but he’s a phenomenal player who’s had a great career.”

Perhaps the comfort of returning to his home city gets Happ on a roll. Friday represented Happ’s third multihit game in May after having only four such games through April. The Cubs (23-16) would benefit from the offense stepping up and taking pressure off the pitching staff, especially a rotation that has carried a significant load so far. Cody Bellinger has been locked in since coming off the injured list Tuesday, posting a four-hit game Friday with his second homer in three games. Seiya Suzuki was activated from the IL and is expected to return to the lineup Saturday, giving them another power bat in the heart of the order.

The Cubs took a one-run lead into the seventh and tacked on four runs in the frame.

“For us just as an offense as a whole, 14 hits, guys coming through some big, late RBIs to add on runs, like, we can do that, we’re a very good offense,” Happ said. “We have the ability to keep adding on, that’s what good teams do. You get a three-run lead and you keep adding on. Just really good to see it.”

Three errors — two by third baseman Christopher Morel and one by first baseman Michael Busch — contributed to starter Javier Assad’s higher pitch count that forced him out of the game after 89 pitches in 4 1/3 innings. He stayed composed, though, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits. Right-hander Ben Brown, who hadn’t pitched since May 2, gave the offense a chance to push runs across against the Pirates bullpen behind 3 2/3 shutout innings, one walk and six strikeouts to give the rookie his first big-league win.

“It was a wonderful outing by Ben,” manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s was really crisp today and just throwing a ton of strikes, and the breaking ball was going really, really good. We saw some funky swings and they were uncomfortable with it so that was a big outing and it was kind of unique outing.”

The Cubs have had a knack for players stepping up each time they have been dealt an injury blow through the first six weeks. Nick Madrigal is the latest to receive an opportunity for extended playing time after shortstop Dansby Swanson landed on the 10-day IL on Friday with a sprained right knee. The injury forces Nico Hoerner to be the starting shortstop while Swanson is out, creating more regular at-bats for Madrigal at second base.

He came through with two outs in the seventh, slicing a two-strike, 94.5-mph fastball from Pirates reliever Hunter Stratton to the opposite field for a two-run single and 7-2 lead.

“Hopefully some more semiregular at-bats gets him nights like tonight,” Counsell said. “Runners in scoring position with Nick, you know he’s going to get some balls through eventually.”

Madrigal has tried to stay ready with inconsistent at-bats by taking more swings in the cage. Friday’s series opener was just the fourth time Madrigal was in the starting lineup since April 25.

“I was just trying to battle,” Madrigal said of his two-run single. “I feel like I’ve been just missing balls the last week or so, but I’m just trying to get back to the basics and not do too much and luckily with two strikes I was able to find a hole.

“When I try to do too much is when I overswing or just miss the ball, so just really simplifying it.”

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Equal parts grit and grace.

That’s what 12-year-old Elizabeth Loughren of Oakmont exudes every day.

We introduced you to her in December, as one of the junior co-hosts for last year’s KDKA Free Care Fund Telethon for UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

When we first met Elizabeth, she was two years into treatments for leukemia.

She’d gone through chemo, radiation and a bone marrow transplant.

But her long and difficult journey finally came to an end on March 28th when Elizabeth got to ring the bell at UPMC Children’s, signaling she’s now officially cancer free.

“I think most importantly we were excited that Elizabeth could resume being a normal 12 year old,” said her mother Lindsay Loughren.

It was an overwhelming moment of relief and gratitude shared by so many who love and support her, especially her parents and two older brothers.

Her dad Mike Loughren added, “The best part was having all five of us there together.”

 But as moving as this moment was, there was another moment Elizabeth says was just a little bit sweeter.

“I started horseback riding again,” she said.

Elizabeth had been able to return to some of the sports she loved like basketball and soccer.

 But her other passion, horseback riding, had still been on hold due to her weakened immune system.

“Because there’s a mold in the hay that if I breathe it in I can get sick,” said Elizabeth.

As soon as her doctor gave her the all clear, she returned to Black Dog Stables in Gibsonia and got right back into it.

“It was so nice to see all the horses and Megan and Sarah and start riding again,” said Elizabeth.

Lindsay added, “It was as if two and a half years didn’t change at all. As if we just left.

While Elizabeth eases back into the saddle, her parents can’t be more thankful.

“The sense of gratitude that we have as a family from just about everybody that we’ve come in contact with who has gone out of their way to help because I think they see how special Elizabeth is,” said Mike.

“We’ve reached a big milestone. We are back to our busy but good busy. We are definitely back to the old normal. It feels very good to be back,” added Lindsay.

Meanwhile, the “Elizabeth Strong: Grit and Grace Foundation” the Loughrens started as a way to give back to other families at UPMC Children’s, continues with no plans of stopping.

Mike said, “Being the recipients of all that love can be overwhelming, and it’s refreshing to be on the other side and to be excited about giving back.”

 As for Elizabeth, what she’s been through over the past two and a half years, and at such a young age, has given her a perspective on life that’s good advice for all of us as we face our own challenges.

“Celebrate the small wins,” she said.

For more on the Free Care Fund, visit this link.

KDKA Executive Producer of Special Projects Corey Martin contributed to this story.

PITTSBURGH ― An award-winning documentarian is coming to the region to host a discussion on vinyl chloride and its effects on the environment.

The Carnegie Museum of Art will host a screening of Judith Helfand’s “Blue Vinyl” documentary at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 19. The award-winning “toxicomedy,” which was originally released in 2002, focuses on the production of vinyl chloride and the negative health effects associated with these chemicals in the creation of vinyl siding for homes.

Following a screening of the film, Helfand will join several local environmental activists to discuss the implications of the burning of vinyl chloride that occurred in East Palestine following the Ohio train derailment last year. In the discussion, several Pittsburgh-based experts who were on the ground following the release will talk about the impact on the community and their local environment.

To reserve a spot at the event, attendees are encouraged to reserve their tickets online. The event is expected to take place over three hours and includes free access to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.