Boyd sharp, Suzuki homers as Cubs deal Guardians 5th straight loss

CHICAGO (AP) – Matthew Boyd pitched seven sharp innings for his eighth win, Seiya Suzuki cracked his team-leading 23rd homer and the Chicago Cubs topped the sliding Cleveland Guardians 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Carson Kelly doubled twice with a sac fly for three RBIs. Michael Busch went 3-for-3 and drove in a run to help NL Central-leading Chicago win its 50th game.

Carlos Santana had two hits, including his 400th career double, but Cleveland dropped its fifth straight.

The Guardians scored two runs in the fourth – ending a skid of 17 straight scoreless innings – on Nolan Jones’ RBI single and Angel Martínez’s sacrifice fly. Cleveland has scored in just two of its last 45 innings.

Boyd (8-3) allowed two runs on five hits with five strikeout and one walk. The left-hander finished by retiring 11 straight hitters before Brad Keller entered for the eighth.

Daniel Palencia struck out two in a perfect ninth for his ninth save.

Cleveland’s Gavin Williams (5-4) yielded four runs on seven hits and four walks.

The Cubs took a 3-0 lead in a quirky second on four straight hits.

Then Kelly was out at home when he tried to score from third after the ball got away from catcher Bo Naylor. Williams walked the next two hitters – Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw – but picked both off first.

After Cleveland cut it to 3-2 in the fourth, Suzuki hit his solo shot to left in the sixth.

It looked like Cleveland’s offense finally awakened in the fourth. But Boyd picked off Jones for the second out, then got Naylor to ground out.

Boyd tossed his 12th quality start in 17. He’s one win short of his career high of nine, reached with Detroit in 2018 and 2019

Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (4-8, 3.80 ERA) faces Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (4-2, 2.54) on Wednesday.