Cubs stop 5-game slide with win over Marlins

CHICAGO » Ian Happ homered from both sides of the plate, and the Chicago Cubs stopped a five-game slide by routing the Miami Marlins 14-2 on Monday night.

The Cubs collected 15 hits after scoring three or fewer runs in 10 of the previous 11 games. Kris Bryant and Javier Baez connected, and Happ finished with five RBIs.

Kyle Hendricks also provided a lift for Chicago by pitching eight innings of tworun ball. The Cubs dropped their previous two on gameending hits in St. Louis, taxing their bullpen.

The only downer for the Cubs was an early exit for Baez, who departed in the sixth with right groin tightness.

Miami starter Jarlin Garcia (1-1), who entered with a major league-best 1.09 ERA, was rocked for seven runs and six hits in four innings. The 25-year-old left-hander allowed just two earned runs in 23 innings in his previous four starts.

Before Monday, the Cubs’ last 13 homers had been solo drives. Bryant stopped that streak with a two-run shot in the first.

Baez then made it 5-0 with a three-run drive to center in the third — one pitch after losing his balance on a hard swing and miss.

Happ added a two-run shot in the fourth. Batting from the left side in the seventh, he belted a three-run drive to left against Tyler Cloyd.

Bryant finished with three hits and scored three times, and Addison Russell had two hits and two RBIs.

Cameron Maybin had two hits and drove in a run for Miami, which had won six of eight. METS 7, REDS 6 » Jay Bruce hit a two-run homer in the ballpark where he had his best moment, rounding the bases to a familiar “BRUUUCE” chant, and Adrian Gonzalez connected twice Monday night, powering the New York Mets to a slumpending 7-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The Mets hit the road after getting swept during a six-game homestand that included three shutout losses and 11 runs total by New York’s offense. Michael Conforto got it going with a leadoff homer against Homer Bailey (0-5), and Bruce had a two-run shot off his former teammate in the third for a 4-0 lead.

The outfielder made his second return to Great American Ball Park since he was traded in 2016. His 136 career homers at Great American Ball Park rank second to Joey Votto’s 144. Bruce considers his divisionclinching walk-off homer at GABP in 2010 as his top moment in the majors.