Chicago Cubs' Kyle Tucker hits a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Tucker hits 2 homers and drives in 5 as Cubs blow out Angels 12-1

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Kyle Tucker homered twice and drove in five runs as the surging Chicago Cubs routed the Los Angeles Angels 12-1 on Saturday night.

Reese McGuire added a grand slam and tied a career high with five RBIs to help the Cubs win for the seventh time in nine games. They hold the top National League wild-card spot and are six games behind first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central.

Cade Horton (8-4) gave up three hits over six scoreless innings and Ben Brown went the rest of the way for his first major league save.

Busting out of an extended slump, Tucker has three homers in two nights following a 25-game drought. The outburst has come after he was given three games off by manager Craig Counsell earlier in the week.

Jo Adell homered late for the Angels, who totaled eight hits while losing the first two games of the series.

Victor Mederos (0-2) and Carson Fulmer were charged with all 12 of the Cubs’ runs. The Angels fell to 2-6 since pulling off a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers from Aug. 11-13.

McGuire’s grand slam in the fourth gave the Cubs a 6-0 lead and they made it 10-0 in the sixth when Tucker went deep for the second time. It was Tucker’s eighth multihomer game and first since May 2024 against the Angels with Houston.

Adell’s home run in the seventh, his 29th, ended Chicago’s shutout bid.

Key moment

With two outs in the third, Michael Busch tucked a double just inside the first-base line and past a diving Nolan Schanuel to get Tucker to the plate before his first homer of the game.

Key stat

Angels star Mike Trout went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts as his 22-game on-base streak came to an end.

Up next

Angels RHP Kyle Hendricks (6-8, 4.93 ERA) will face his former team Sunday in a matchup against Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (8-6, 4.26).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Chicago Cubs’ Reese McGuire hits a grand slam during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Chicago Cubs’ Kyle Tucker is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Chicago Cubs’ Kyle Tucker, right, is congratulated by Reese McGuire after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Fans cheer after Chicago Cubs’ Kyle Tucker hit a three-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles