Alex Bregman belted a two-run homer and Michael Busch drove in three runs, fueling the host Chicago Cubs to a convincing 12-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday afternoon.
Chicago’s Seiya Suzuki scored three runs and joined Bregman with three hits.
Carson Kelly ripped a two-run double in the second inning for the Cubs (82-66), who banged out 16 hits en route to snapping a four-game losing streak.
Shota Imanaga (10-10) allowed two runs on five hits in six innings to improve to 4-0 in seven career starts versus the Pirates.
Pittsburgh rookie Konnor Griffin tripled to lead off the game and came around to score on an RBI single by Oneil Cruz.
Bryan Reynolds capped a nine-pitch at-bat with a homer to lead off the sixth inning for the Pirates (74-74), who saw their four-game winning streak come to a halt.
Pittsburgh rookie Esmerlyn Valdez experienced discomfort in his left hamstring while running out a groundout in the sixth inning. He needed assistance to leave the field.
The Cubs quickly loaded the bases in the second inning before Bregman scored on Michael Conforto’s sacrifice fly to forge a 1-1 tie. Kelly’s double to left field off rookie Wilber Dotel (1-5) plated Ian Happ and Pedro Ramirez to give Chicago the lead.
The Cubs tacked on two more runs in the third inning as Suzuki singled and scored on a double by Busch that was aided by a throwing error from right fielder Valdez. Busch later scored on Nico Hoerner’s pop-up to shallow right field that was turned into a force out.
Chicago effectively put the game away in the fourth inning, as Suzuki had an RBI single and Pete Crow-Armstrong scored on a sacrifice fly by Busch before Bregman provided the fireworks. Bregman deposited a 1-2 changeup from Khristian Curtis over the wall in left field for his 25th homer of the season and 16th since the All-Star break.
Busch had an RBI single and Tyrone Taylor added a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and Crow-Armstrong slapped an RBI single in the seventh to cap the scoring.
Dotel permitted three runs on four hits in two innings.
