BASEBALL: Michael Busch drives in 4 as Cubs win, sweep D-backs

Michael Busch drove in four runs to lead the host Chicago Cubs to an 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep and extending Chicago’s home winning streak to 11 games.

Busch doubled and scored in the second inning before breaking the game open in the fifth with a three-run triple, giving the Cubs a comfortable lead they would not relinquish.

Matthew Boyd (2-1) earned the win after allowing four hits and two runs over six innings. The left-hander walked one and struck out five on 94 pitches, recording Chicago’s seventh quality start in its last 10 home games.

The Cubs tied a season high with six extra-base hits. Busch, Nico Hoerner, Moisés Ballesteros, Seiya Suzuki, and Carson Kelly each finished with two hits in a balanced offensive effort.

Arizona struck first in the second inning when Nolan Arenado doubled with one out and Gabriel Moreno followed with a 427-foot two-run homer to left field, giving the Diamondbacks an early 2-0 lead.

Chicago responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning as Busch singled in a run with two outs. The Cubs then took control in the third when Hoerner singled and Ballesteros launched an opposite-field home run to give Chicago a 3-2 advantage.

The decisive moment came in the fifth inning. After Ballesteros walked and Alex Bregman reached on a fielder’s choice, Ian Happ worked a walk to load the bases. Busch then cleared them with a triple into the right-field corner, pushing the Cubs ahead 6-2 and ending Arizona starter Merrill Kelly’s outing.

Kelly (1-3) allowed eight hits and six runs over 4 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking three on 92 pitches.

Chicago added insurance runs in the seventh when Happ walked, Suzuki doubled, and Busch drove in his fourth run of the game with a sacrifice fly. Carson Kelly later singled in Suzuki to make it 8-2.

Arizona added late runs in the ninth on a two-run homer by pinch-hitter Adrian Del Castillo. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the loss.

— Field Level Media/Reuters