Baez homers to lead Cubs past Padres

CHICAGO (AP) — Javier Baez tied his career high with his 23rd home run and took over the National League lead with 84 RBIs, helping the Chicago Cubs defeat the San Diego Padres 5-4 on Friday.

Jose Quintana (10-7) allowed one run and four hits in six innings, leaving with a 3-1 lead.

Pedro Strop nearly wasted a 5-2 advantage, allowing Cory Spangenberg's RBI double and Travis Jankowski's run-scoring grounder before third baseman David Bote threw out Spangenberg at the plate trying to score on Manuel Margot's grounder. Baez had thrown out Jankowski at the plate in the eighth when Jankowski tried to score on Hunter Renfroe's grounder to second.

Strop struck out pinch-hitter Austin Hedges with a man on for his sixth save in nine chances.

Anthony Rizzo homered and had three hits, and Ben Zobrist drove in two runs for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who entered one game ahead of Milwaukee.

Baez's solo shot in the second inning gave the AllStar 84 RBIs.

Tyson Ross (6-9) gave up three runs and six hits in five innings as the Padres lost for the eighth time in their last nine games.

Baez led off the second with an opposite-field drive into the right-field bleachers, and Zobrist hit a sacrifice fly in the third.

Christian Villanueva's 20th homer cut the gap in the fourth.