PITTSBURGH -- The Chicago Cubs' record is the best in the majors, and now, it is unique as well.

101 wins. 57 losses. And one tie.

The Cubs and Pittsburgh were tied 1-1 in the top of the sixth when a hard rain washed out the rest of the Pirates' final home game of the season Thursday night. Since the season ends Sunday, the suspended game will not be finished, although player stats will count and the game will go down as a tie.

"I'm not so sure I've been in a tie before ... not in the big leagues," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.

The tie was the first in Major League Baseball since the Houston Astros and Reds played to a 2-2 tie in Cincinnati on June 30, 2005. The Pirates hadn't played a tie game since Aug. 24, 1998, in St. Louis; the last one for the Cubs was a 2-2 tie against the Montreal Expos on May 28, 1993.

Cubs rookie left-hander Rob Zastryzny pitched 3 1/3 innings in his first career start, with the only run against him unearned due to catcher Tim Federowicz's throwing error in the third inning.

The Cubs now finish the season with three games in Cincinnati starting Friday, while the Pirates play three against the Cardinals in St. Louis. And Hurdle promised the Pirates, despite being out of contention for the playoffs, will be playing to win.

The Pirates (78-80) must sweep all three games from the Cardinals to finish with their fourth consecutive winning season.

"We're going to play all the men that are capable of playing," Hurdle said, although outfielder Starling Marte (lower back strain) won't appear in the series.

Chicago will be without scheduled Friday starter Jason Hammel (15-10) in Cincinnati because of right elbow tightness. Hammel felt some stiffness while throwing his slider in his past two starts, and he didn't want to possibly make the injury worse by pitching in what effectively is a meaningless game with the postseason less than a week away.

"To tell you the truth, I feel pretty good," Hammel said. "It stinks. I want to make the start, but we're thinking ahead about availability for October, obviously."

Chicago's rotation is so strong that Hammel effectively is the No. 5 starter, yet he is a 15-game winner.

"We are where we are because of our starters. Our offense has been spectacular, but Jon (Lester), Kyle (Hendricks), Jason and obviously (John) Lackey, we've all pitched well throughout the year," 18-game winner Jake Arrieta said.

Right-hander Jake Buchanan, who made his major league debut with the Astros in 2014, will start for the Cubs on Friday. He has appeared in only one major league game this season, when he allowed one run in one inning at Milwaukee on Sept. 5.

The Cubs, starting a lineup of mostly bench players, produced a run in the second on singles by Willson Contreras and Matt Szczur and Federowicz's sacrifice fly. Munenori Kawasaki followed with a double, but Zastryzny stranded runners on second and third by striking out.

Zastryzny allowed a run in the second on Josh Bell's sacrifice fly. Eric Fryer started the inning with a single and moved up when Federowicz threw wildly on Pirates starter Ivan Nova's sacrifice bunt attempt.

Nova, who can become a free agent in the offseason, has been very effective since the Pirates acquired him from the New York Yankees last month, allowing two earned runs or fewer seven times in 11 starts. He gave up one run on four hits, struck out five and walked none over 5 1/3 innings Thursday.

"You don't know what you're going to connect with when you bring a man over, you get a bunch of numbers, a bunch a data, you watch a bunch of video. (But) he showed up so very well," Hurdle said. "He's very efficient, he's given us a nice of infusion of experience in the clubhouse. He's all business on the mound, (and) he understands the importance of the role the starting pitcher plays."

Nova reportedly wants a three-year, $42 million contract that could be too pricey for the Pirates, but he and the club have discussed a return.

"I had a really, really, really good time here and hopefully we can work it out to where I can stay," Nova said. "I'm excited for free agency, though, and we'll see what happens."

NOTES: The Cubs started mostly bench players, with 3B/LF Kris Bryant and 1B Anthony Rizzo among those not in the starting lineup. ... Pirates RHP A.J. Schugel received a second medical opinion that confirmed he has rotator cuff inflammation but doesn't need surgery. ... A large photo montage of John Jaso's hit-for-the-cycle night Wednesday already is on display in the PNC press box. The Pirates first baseman became the first player to hit for the cycle in Pittsburgh since PNC Park opened in 2001. ... Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta wasn't a fan of what he called the spring-training-like feel Wednesday, but manager Joe Maddon pointed out the Cubs are 7-2 since he began sitting down starters after three at-bats or five or six innings pitched.