Cubs pulverize Pirates
Addison Russell set a career high with four hits, Jason Heyward homered for the third time in four games and drove in four runs as the Chicago Cubs jumped on the Pirates early in a 14-3 victory last night in Pittsburgh.
Ben Zobrist added three RBI for Chicago as the defending World Series champions won for the fifth time in six games. Kris Bryant and Miguel Montero had three hits apiece for the Cubs.
Chicago scored four runs with two outs in the first inning off Chad Kuhl (1-2) and added five more in the second to give Brett Anderson (2-0) all the breathing room he would need.
Anderson struggled at times with his command, walking six in six innings while striking out three and allowed three runs, one earned.
Brewers 11, Reds 7 — Eric Thames homered twice to raise his major league-leading total to 10, Hernan Perez added a three-run shot, Matt Garza pitched for the first time this season and host Milwaukee outslugged Cincinnati.
The left-handed-batting Thames got just enough muscle on an 0-2 pitch from Amir Garrett (2-2) to slice an opposite-field, two-run homer in the second. He extended his home-run streak against the Reds this season to five consecutive games with a solo shot to right in the first. Perez’ three-run homer capped that inning.
Seven of Thames’ home runs have come off the Reds’ hurlers, including five in the four-game series in mid-April at Cincinnati.
Garza, who suffered a right groin strain at the end of spring training, was reinstated from the disabled list before the game. He allowed one earned run on four hits.
Rockies 8, Nationals 4 — In Denver, Charlie Blackmon hit a two-run homer in the seventh, and Colorado’s lights-out bullpen threw three-plus scoreless innings and ended Washington’s seven-game winning streak.
Trailing 4-3, Blackmon lined a hanging slider from lefty Enny Romero (1-1) into the right-field stands. It was Blackmon’s sixth homer of the season and followed a pinch-hit double from Pat Valaika — his first hit of the season.
Diamondbacks 7, Padres 6 — In Phoenix, Zack Greinke struck out 11 in six innings, Chris Owings hit his first career grand slam and Arizona held on to beat San Diego.
David Peralta homered and singled twice for the Diamondbacks, whose 9-2 start at home ties the best in club history.
Giants 2, Dodgers 1— Matt Cain pitched six scoreless innings to beat Los Angeles for the first time in nearly four years, and host San Francisco snapped a four-game losing streak.
Joe Panik hit a secondinning sacrifice fly off Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-4) in just the Giants’ second victory in their last eight games. Hunter Pence added a key RBI single for insurance in the seventh.
American League
Orioles 6, Rays 3 — Adam Jones hit a tiebreaking, tworun homer in the seventh inning, Hyun Soo Kim and Jonathan Schoop also went deep, and host Baltimore topped Tampa Bay on a cold, damp night.
All three home runs were off Chris Archer (2-1), who gave up five runs, six hits and five walks in 6 2⁄3 innings. The right-hander didn’t allow a long ball in his previous four starts this season.
It was the fifth win in seven games for the Orioles, whose 13-5 record is best in the American League.
Corey Dickerson homered for the Rays, who fell to 1-7 on the road.
Twins 3, Rangers 2 — Brian Dozier hit a bases-clearing double and Minnesota edged Texas in Arlington, Texas.
Dozier’s two-out double in the fifth came after Martin Perez (1-3) walked the bases loaded, giving free passes to the three of the bottom four batters in the Twins lineup. Dozier had only three RBI his first 17 games this season.
Phil Hughes (3-1) allowed two runs on six hits over six innings. The right-hander, who has won all three of his road starts this season, struck out two and walked one.
Before the game, Minnesota’s Miguel Sano was suspended for one game and fined by MLB for what the sport termed “aggressive actions” that caused benches to clear during a game against Detroit Saturday. He has appealed.
White Sox 12, Royals 1 — Matt Davidson had two hits and three RBI in an eightrun sixth, Chicago’s highestscoring inning in five years, and the host White Sox routed struggling Kansas City.
Miguel Gonzalez (3-0) lowered his ERA to 2.00, allowing an unearned run and two hits in eight innings.
Angels 2, Blue Jays 1 — With the infield playing in, Cameron Maybin broke from third on contact and scored on a close play at the plate in the fifth inning to give Los Angeles the victory against Toronto in Anaheim, Calif.
Right-hander Jesse Chavez, who took the loss in Friday’s 13-inning loss to Toronto, went six innings for the Angels, holding the Blue Jays to one run on four hits. Chavez (2-3) walked four but struck out seven.