SZCZUR’S GRAND SLAM HELPS CUBS GO 17-5

chicago» When the Cubs lost slugger Kyle Schwarber for the season because of a knee injury, Matt Szczur took on a new role as a reserve outfielder. Friday, he joined the long list of key contributors to the Cubs’ best start in 109 years.

Szczur, a midgame defensive replacement, hit the first grand slam of his career during a five-run eighth inning as the Cubs broke away for a 6-1 victory over the Braves at Wrigley Field.

Jon Lester’s 10 strikeouts in seven innings helped the Cubs improve to 17-5, their best 22-game start since the 1907 team was 18-4. The Braves are 5-18.

“I can’t explain the feelings I have,” said Szczur, who spent most of the past three seasons shuttling from Chicago to the Cubs’ Triple-A farm club in Des Moines, Iowa.

It was 1-1 in the eighth Friday when the Cubs loaded the bases on two hits and a walk against Jim Johnson. Eric O’Flaherty relieved and gave up Anthony Rizzo’s go-ahead single with one out. Szczur followed by launching a fastball from Chris Withrow over the left-field wall for his second home run this season.

FRIDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

Miami left-hander Adam Conley threw no-hit ball for 7M innings before being pulled by manager Don Mattingly after 116 pitches, and the Marlins’ bullpen wound up holding off the Brewers 6-3. ... David Ortiz hit a tiebreaking two-run homer off Dellin Betances in the eighth inning as the Red Sox rallied for a 4-2 win over the Yankees in the longtime rivals’ first of 19 meetings this season. Alex Rodriguez moved into 20th place in all-time hits with a solo homer for the Yankees, who lost for the 11th time in 15 games . ... Michael Saunders hit two home runs and Aaron Sanchez pitched seven shutout innings for the Blue Jays, who beat the Rays 6-1 . ... Nolan Reimold hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh inning for the Orioles, who beat the White Sox 6-3 . ... Juan Nicasio struck out eight in seven scoreless innings, Josh Harrison hit his first home run in nearly a year and Matt Joyce went deep as a pinch hitter for the Pirates, who posted their fifth consecutive win with a 4-1 victory over the Reds . ... Ryan Howard led off the bottom half of the 11th inning with a home run, giving the Phillies a 4-3 victory over the Indians. It was the sixth game-ending shot of Howard’s career . ... Ian Desmond hit the go-ahead double in a three-run sixth inning as the Rangers beat the Angels 4-2. Desmond is hitting .394 in his last 10 games after hitting .091 in his first 12 . ... Stephen Strasburg struck out nine, including seven of eight in one stretch, and the Nationals received home runs from Michael Taylor and Danny Espinosa in a 5-4 victory over the Cardinals. Strasburg improved to 4-0 . ... The Mets scored a team-record 12 runs in the third inning, rolling to their seventh straight victory with a 13-1 rout of the Giants. Yoenis Cespedes set a club record with six RBIs in the inning, connecting for a two-run single and a grand slam. ... The Tigers beat the Twins 9-2, making Michael Fulmer the winning pitcher in his major-league debut.

FOOTNOTE

Darvish update. Three years after leading the American League in strikeouts, Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish will make his first minor-league rehab start Sunday as he attempts to return from Tommy John surgery, which he had in March 2015. He hasn’t pitched in a major-league game since August 2014. “I’m ready to go,” he said. The Associated Press