Burnes dominant with arm, bat as Brewers rip Cubs
Corbin Burnes continued his sizzling start to the season and finally got a little run support, thanks in part to his own surprising skill at the plate.
Burnes struck out 10 in six dominant innings and also delivered a basesloaded single for his first two career RBI as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs 7-0 on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old righthander has knocked home twice as many runs (two) as he has allowed (one) through his first three outings of the year.
“That’s the best guy we’ve faced all year there today,” Cubs manager David Ross said.
Burnes (1-1) has 30 strikeouts while allowing only four hits and no walks in 18 1⁄3 innings. He gave up two hits Wednesday.
He was asked after the game if this is the most fun he’s ever had pitching.
“Yeah, I’d say so,” replied Burnes, who finished sixth in the NL Cy Young Award voting last year. “Last year was pretty awesome, too. I think it makes it a little bit sweeter this year having some fans in the stands and having the fans in the ballpark to enjoy it with us.”
This marked the franchise-record eighth straight game in which a Brewers starter worked at least five innings while allowing no more than one run.
Burnes’ performance helped the Brewers take two of three in the series and gain a measure of revenge one day after an emotionally charged 3-2 loss to the Cubs.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Nationals 6, Cardinals
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0: Joe Ross pitched six sharp innings and Washington threw its first regular-season shutout at Busch Stadium, blanking St. Louis. Ross improved to 3-0 in four career starts against the Cardinals.
Giants 3, Reds
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0: Johnny Cueto pitched neatly into the sixth inning before exiting with a tight lat muscle, and hostSan Francisco blankedCincinnati. Cueto (2-0) removed himself from the game after fanning Nick Castellanos for the second out in the sixth. The righthander motioned to the Giants dugout and walked to the clubhouse, accompanied by a member of the training staff.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Blue Jays 5, Yankees
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4: Bo Bichette homered twice, including a gameending drive leading off the ninth inning that liftedToronto over New York at Dunedin. Bichette drove a pitch from Chad Green (0-2) the opposite way to right-center field as Toronto took two of three.
Bichette tied his career high with an 11-game hitting streak. He had three hits and also stole a base.
Aaron Judge hit two home runs for the Yankees.
Royals 6, Angels 1:
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Salvador Pérez homered and doubled to cap off an impressive series, leading Brad Keller and hostKansas City over Los Angeles. Carlos Santana also homered as the Royals took two of three from the Angels.
Red Sox 3-7, Twins
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2-1: Alex Verdugo had three hits, including a two-run single in a six-run fifth inning, and Boston extended its winning streak to nine games, beating host Minnesota to sweep the doubleheader. In game one, Nathan Eovaldi pitched five effective
innings for the win.
Seattle at Baltimore,
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ppd: The Orioles and Mariners were postponed because of rain, the teams’ second rainout in three days. They will play two seven-inning gamesThursday, starting at
12:35 p.m.