Apr 24, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Jason Heyward (22) drives in a run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning at PNC Park. Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
PITTSBURGH — The Chicago Cubs scored early and often against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night, cruising to a 14-3 victory at PNC Park.
The Cubs battered Pirates starter Chad Kuhl and led 10-1 after two innings. Jason Heyward hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs, and Addison Russell had four of the Cubs’ 17 hits. Kris Bryant and Miguel Montero each collected three hits.
Kuhl (1-2) lasted 1 2/3 innings, giving up nine runs and eight hits while walking four.
Cubs starter Brett Anderson (2-0) yielded three runs (one earned) in six innings, allowing five hits and six walks while striking out three.
White Sox 12, Royals 1
CHICAGO — Matt Davidson homered and drove in four runs, and Miguel Gonzalez allowed only two hits in eight innings as Chicago handed Kansas City its fifth straight loss.
Davidson capped Chicago’s eight-run sixth inning with a two-run single after he drove in a run with a single earlier in the inning. Tyler Saladino also tripled in two runs before Todd Frazier followed with a two-run double. Tim Anderson, who had three hits, also had an RBI single in the inning.
The eight-run rally marked the biggest output in one inning by the White Sox since they scored nine in the fifth inning of a 19-2 win over the Texas Rangers on July 3, 2012.
Rockies 8, Nationals 4
DENVER — Charlie Blackmon hit a go-ahead two-run homer as Colorado overcame a three-run deficit and beat Washington, ending its seven-game winning streak.
The Rockies pulled away with a three-run eighth inning, a rally that began with five straight singles off Blake Treinen. The spree included an RBI from Trevor Story on a broken-bat hit and Tony Wolters’ third single. Blackmon picked up his third RBI of the game by grounding into a run-scoring force play to boost the lead to 8-4.
The victory was the fourth straight and seventh in eight games for the Rockies. Their 14-6 record matches the 2011 team for the second-best start in franchise history. The Rockies began the 1997 season 15-5.
Twins 3, Rangers 2
ARLINGTON, Texas — Phil Hughes limited the damage early, and Brian Dozier delivered the big blow in Minnesota’s win over Texas at Globe Life Park.
The Twins won for only the second time in eight games and snapped Texas’ season-high four-game winning streak in the opener of a three-game series.
Hughes (3-1) worked around six hits and a walk to limit Texas to two runs in six innings. He is 3-0 on the road this year, and improved to 3-3 lifetime against the Rangers.
Orioles 6, Rays 3
BALTIMORE — Adam Jones went 3-for-3 and capped the perfect night with a tiebreaking two-run homer in the seventh inning that helped Baltimore top Tampa Bay.
The Orioles banged out three homers off Chris Archer, all of them in the sixth and seventh innings. Archer (3-1) had not allowed a homer this season before that.
Hyun Soo Kim and Jonathan Schoop hit back-to-back solo shots in the sixth that tied the score at 3. Seth Smith walked to start the seventh and Jones followed with his two-run blast.
Brewers 11, Reds 7
MILWAUKEE — Eric Thames continued his torrid start to the season by blasting two home runs and driving in three to lead Milwaukee over Cincinnati.
Thames leads the majors with 10 homers, matching Milwaukee’s franchise record for April. He also set a club record for runs scored in April with 24.
Hernan Perez homered and drove in four runs for the Brewers, who scored four times in the first inning and led 10-4 through four.
