Chicago fans enjoyed a fireworks display on Saturday as the Cubs routed the Cincinnati Reds 17-5 at Wrigley Field. The highlight of the night was third‑baseman Pete Crow-Armstrong, who recorded his first three‑homer game and drove in six runs, pushing his season total to 36 homers.
Offensive explosion for Chicago
Crow-Armstrong opened the scoring with a solo shot in the first inning, followed by a two‑run blast in the second and a three‑run homer in the seventh. He was ably supported by catcher Carson Kelly, who added a three‑run homer and an RBI double, and outfielder Seiya Suzuki, who belted a two‑run shot. Alex Bregman also contributed a home run and an RBI single, finishing with three hits.
Teammates Tyrone Taylor and Nico Hoerner each added key hits, with Taylor matching Crow-Armstrong’s four‑hit effort and Hoerner delivering an RBI single that helped the Cubs break a three‑game losing streak.
Pitching holds the line
Starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (8-11) gave up five runs on six hits over five innings, providing enough support for the offense to build a comfortable lead. The bullpen kept the Reds at bay, preserving the decisive margin.
Reds’ lone bright spots
Cincinnati’s rookie Sal Stewart hit a two‑run homer, his 30th of the season, while veteran Eugenio Suárez added another two‑run blast. JJ Bleday contributed a sacrifice fly, but the Reds fell to 10 losses in 15 games.
Other league action
In Boston, rookie Jake Bennett threw six strong innings as the Red Sox rallied for a 6-0 win over the Yankees, highlighted by a first‑inning homer from Wilyer Abreu. New York’s Yankees answered back later in the day, beating Boston 9-2 and moving three games ahead for the AL wild‑card spot.
Meanwhile, the Mets defeated the Astros 6-2, with Nolan McLean delivering a seven‑inning two‑hit performance. Juan Soto returned from injury and drove in the winning run.
Chicago’s White Sox edged the Twins 3-2, with Andrew Benintendi providing a double, a homer and two RBIs. Detroit’s Tigers beat the Dodgers 2-1 on a ninth‑inning bases‑loaded single by Kevin McGonigle.
Washington secured a walk‑off win over Miami, 5-4, as Dylan Crews delivered a bases‑loaded single in the 10th inning. Atlanta continued its streak, beating Colorado 2-1 thanks to Michael Harris II’s go‑ahead two‑run double.
Toronto edged Seattle 4-3, with Alejandro Kirk’s go‑ahead single in the sixth inning. Pittsburgh’s Rafael Flores Jr. hit a three‑run homer as the Pirates beat St. Louis 6-2.
In the West, Arizona’s Merrill Kelly combined with relievers for a four‑hit shutout of San Francisco, while the Giants split a doubleheader with the Diamondbacks, highlighted by Bryce Eldridge’s four‑hit, four‑RBI performance.
These results reflect a vibrant week of baseball across the majors, with power hitting and strong pitching shaping outcomes from the Midwest to the coasts.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
