Shota Imanaga tossed seven stellar innings, Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch each drove in two runs and the streaking Chicago Cubs posted a 7-4 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.
Imanaga (2-1) allowed just one run on three hits, striking out one and walking one for the Cubs, who won their Major League-leading seventh straight game. Suzuki and Nico Hoerner each homered in the win.
Jesus Luzardo threw 4 2/3 innings for the Phillies, surrendering one run on five hits, walking four and striking out three. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber both homered for the Phillies, who saw their losing streak extend to seven.
In the fifth, Ian Happ walked and Suzuki singled to begin the frame. After Luzardo retired Carson Kelly and Busch, Orion Kerkering relieved the Philadelphia starter. Kerkering then walked Dansby Swanson to load the bases and followed with a run-scoring walk of Moises Ballesteros, giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead.
Kerkering escaped further trouble, retiring Pete Crow-Armstrong to end the inning.
Philadelphia evened the score in the sixth, as Schwarber connected on his eighth home run of the season — a 386-foot shot to right center.
Tanner Banks (0-1) replaced Kerkering in the bottom of the sixth. Hoerner led off the frame with a single and advanced to third on Happ’s one-out base hit. After Carson Kelly’s two-out walk loaded the bases, Busch drove in a pair with a single to center.
Against Philadelphia reliever Tim Mayza, Hoerner launched a one-out solo homer to push the lead to 4-1. After Alex Bregman’s walk, Suzuki hit his first homer of the season — a 441-footer that extended the margin to five.
Riley Martin replaced Imanaga in the eighth, allowing Schwarber’s two-out walk and Harper’s two-run homer, pulling the Phillies within three.
The Cubs scored their seventh run in the bottom of the eighth, as Philadelphia’s Jose Alvarado’s wild pitch prolonged the visitors’ pitching woes.
Chicago pitcher Jacob Webb allowed Adolis Garcia’s leadoff single in the ninth, before J.T. Realmuto reached on third baseman Scott Kingery’s throwing error. Alec Bohm’s sacrifice fly drove in Garcia, cutting the deficit to 7-4.
After Brandon Marsh’s single, Caleb Thielbar entered for the Cubs. Thielbar retired Edmundo Sosa and Trea Turner to seal the win, securing his second save of the year.
