Michael Busch homers as the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-3

CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Busch homered and drove in three runs, helping Jameson Taillon and the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-3 on Sunday.

Pete Crow-Armstrong had three hits, scored three times and swiped two bases as Chicago closed out a 5-1 homestand. Dansby Swanson had a run-scoring double.

The Cubs improved to 37-22, moving a season-high 15 games above .500. The NL Central leaders have won 15 of 20 overall.

Taillon (5-3) pitched 6 1/3 innings of two-run ball in his third consecutive win. The right-hander allowed three hits, struck out two and walked one.

Taillon has a 2.70 ERA in six starts at Wrigley Field this season, compared to a 4.96 ERA in six road starts.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

Elly De La Cruz hit a two-run homer for Cincinnati, which dropped two of three against Chicago for the second straight weekend. Nick Martinez (3-6) allowed five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

The Cubs grabbed control with four runs in the third. Kyle Tucker doubled and scored on Crow-Armstrong’s two-out single. Swanson added an RBI double before Busch connected for his eighth homer, driving a changeup deep to right-center.

Busch also hit a two-out RBI single off Brent Suter in the fifth. Crow-Armstrong singled and stole second before Busch delivered.

The Cubs finished the game without Tucker, who was removed after four innings because of a jammed right ring finger.

The Reds were limited to four hits after they had one in Saturday’s 2-0 loss. Third baseman Santiago Espinal and left fielder Will Benson each committed an error in the seventh, helping the Cubs score two unearned runs.

Cincinnati Reds’ Elly De La Cruz is showered with fake money in the dugout after he hit a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

Key moment

Busch’s 413-foot drive in the third was his first homer since he went deep in a 7-2 loss at the New York Mets on May 9.

Key stat

The Cubs improved to 31-7 when they score at least four runs.

Up next

Chicago Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong reacts after reaching second base on a fielding error by Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

Reds: Brady Singer (6-3, 4.60 ERA) starts Monday in the opener of a three-game series against Milwaukee. Fellow right-hander Aaron Civale (0-1, 6.00 ERA) takes the mound for the visiting Brewers.

Cubs: Open a nine-game trip at Washington on Tuesday night.