PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nico Hoerner drove in a career-high five runs, Shota Imanaga struck out 11 in six strong innings and the Chicago Cubs routed the Philadelphia Phillies 11-2 on Wednesday night.
Dansby Swanson homered and Matt Shaw had three doubles and a pair of RBIs for the Cubs, who pounded out 15 hits to take the rubber match of the three-game set.
Trea Turner and Bryce Harper homered for Philadelphia.
Imanaga (1-1) allowed three hits and walked one.
Chicago went in front for good with three runs in the third inning off Jesús Luzardo (1-3). Hoerner’s bloop single scored Shaw from second, tying the game at 1-all. After Alex Bregman walked, Hoerner and Bregman executed a double steal. Hoerner reached home when catcher J.T. Realmuto’s throw went into left field. Bregman advanced to third on the error and scored on Luzardo’s wild pitch.
After Hoerner’s two-run shot to left-center in the fifth gave the Cubs a four-run lead, Chicago tacked on four more runs in the sixth. Shaw’s two-run double ended the night for Luzardo, and Horner capped the scoring with a two-run single against lefty reliever Kyle Backhus.
Luzardo was battered for nine runs — eight earned — on 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings, raising his ERA to 7.94.
Imanaga settled in after surrendering Turner’s homer to lead off the game.
Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts to end his on-base streak at 15 consecutive games.
Cubs: Return home to face the Mets for three games, beginning on Friday afternoon when Cubs RHP Edward Cabrera (1-0, 1.62 ERA) faces Mets RHP Kodai Senga (0-2, 7.07).
Phillies: After an off day on Thursday, the Phillies open a three-game series against Atlanta on Friday night. Philadelphia RHP Taijuan Walker (1-2, 7.36) opposes Braves LHP Martin Perez (0-1, 3.14).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
