Busch stars as the surging Cubs beat the Diamondbacks 8-4 for their 5th consecutive win

CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Busch hit a three-run triple and a sacrifice fly, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-4 on Sunday for their fifth straight win.

Moisés Ballesteros homered as Chicago improved to 15-3 in its last 18 games. Matthew Boyd (2-1) pitched six innings of two-run ball.

At 22-12, the Cubs are a season-high 10 games over .500. They have won 11 straight home games for the first time since they won 14 in a row at Wrigley Field in 2008.

Gabriel Moreno and Adrian Del Castillo each hit two-run homers for Arizona in its fourth straight loss. Merrill Kelly (1-3) allowed six runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.

The Diamondbacks had a chance to get back in the game in the seventh, loading the bases with two down. But Ketel Marte struck out swinging against Phil Maton, ending the inning.

Ballesteros connected for a two-run shot in the third, and the NL Central-leading Cubs added three more in the fifth.

Ballesteros reached on a leadoff walk and Alex Bregman followed with a bouncer to third. Nolan Arenado tried to get Ballesteros at second, but he beat out the throw. Ian Happ then walked after he used ABS to overturn a called third strike.

One batter later, Busch chased Kelly with a liner into the corner in right. Busch’s first triple of the season gave Chicago a 6-2 lead.

Carson Kelly had two hits and two RBIs for the Cubs, and Nico Hoerner went 2 for 5 in his return to the lineup after missing Saturday’s game because of tightness in his neck.

Up next

Diamondbacks: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.03 ERA) starts Tuesday night against Pittsburgh in the opener of a six-game homestand. RHP Bubba Chandler (1-3, 4.97 ERA) takes the mound for the Pirates.

Cubs: RHP Edward Cabrera (3-0, 3.06 ERA) starts Monday night against Cincinnati in the opener of a four-game series.

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