Shota Imanaga recorded 10 strikeouts over six innings, guiding the Chicago Cubs to an 8-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, completing a four-game series sweep and extending their home winning streak to 15 games.
Unlike the earlier games in the series, the Cubs didn’t need a walk-off. Instead, they broke the game open with a seven-run fourth inning, handing the Reds their seventh consecutive loss. Chicago has now won nine straight games.
Michael Conforto went 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. He delivered a double and a solo home run in the second inning off Reds starter Rhett Lowder (3-3), giving the Cubs an early lead. It was Conforto’s second homer of the series and the season.
Lowder pitched into the fourth but was pulled after issuing back-to-back walks to Alex Bregman and Ian Happ to start the inning, followed by a wild pitch to Michael Busch. The right-hander lasted three-plus innings, allowing three runs on just one hit but walking four.
Sal Stewart hit his 10th home run of the season, and Blake Dunn connected for his first homer of the year for the Reds.
**Yankees 9, Rangers 2**
Trent Grisham smashed a bases-clearing double during a six-run sixth inning as the host New York Yankees cruised past Texas, though they lost left fielder Jasson Dominguez to a sprained left shoulder. Dominguez was injured crashing into the auxiliary scoreboard while catching a fly ball from Brandon Nimmo, the first batter of the game. The team later confirmed a low-grade AC sprain and placed him on the injured list. Concussion tests were negative, though Dominguez remains in the concussion protocol.
Grisham finished with three hits, while Ryan McMahon added a double and an RBI single as the Yankees tallied 14 hits and went 7-for-18 with runners in scoring position. Ezequiel Duran homered and drove in both Texas runs as the Rangers lost for the 11th time in 17 games.
**Nationals 7, Twins 5**
Keibert Ruiz homered, doubled twice, drove in four runs, and scored three times, leading Washington past visiting Minnesota in the rubber match of their three-game series.
Curtis Mead contributed two RBIs, and Jacob Young scored twice for the Nationals. Ruiz hit a go-ahead solo homer to make it 6-5 leading off the seventh inning, and Mead added an RBI single later in the frame. Ryan Jeffers homered, doubled twice, and scored three runs for the Twins, while Brooks Lee had two hits and two RBIs.
**Rockies 6, Mets 2**
Jake McCarthy crushed a grand slam in the eighth inning and drove in five runs as Colorado topped New York.
Antonio Senzatela (2-0) tossed two scoreless innings of relief to secure the win for the Rockies, snapping a six-game losing streak. Starter Jose Quintana allowed two runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. McCarthy also added an RBI double. Colorado rallied from a 2-0 deficit, tying the game with runs in the fourth and sixth innings before pulling ahead against reliever Craig Kimbrel (0-2). Austin Slater had two hits for the Mets, while starter Christian Scott struck out six, scattered three hits, and left with the lead after 4 2/3 innings.
**Guardians 8, Royals 5**
Bo Naylor hit a three-run home run, and Cleveland held on for a win over host Kansas City, splitting the four-game series.
Kyle Manzardo drove in two runs for the Guardians, as Slade Cecconi (2-4) allowed two runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. Cade Smith worked a perfect ninth to record his 10th save of the season. Bobby Witt Jr. went 4-for-4 with a walk and a homer, and Vinnie Pasquantino also homered for the Royals. Seth Lugo (1-2) needed 102 pitches to cover four innings, allowing four runs on seven hits.
**Athletics 12, Phillies 1**
Brent Rooker and Zack Gelof each homered and drove in three runs, while J.T. Ginn tossed…
