Cubs throttle Miami 6-1

Shota Imanaga allowed three hits and one run in six innings and Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled and stole his 33rd base as the Chicago Cubs beat the Miami Marlins 6-1 on Friday.

Imanaga (9-10) struck out four and improved to 4-2 in nine starts since the All-Star break. 

Armstrong continued to bolster his case for NL MVP, drawing a four-pitch walk, scoring twice and making a leaping grab at the center-field wall to rob Miami’s Heriberto Hernández of a potential extra-base hit in the sixth.

Alex Bregman singled twice and walked, stretching his hitting streak to eight games.

Michael Busch hit a solo home run against Bradley Blalock in the ninth, driving the right-hander’s sweeper 427 feet to right-center for his 18th homer of the season.

Marlins RHP Ryan Gusto (1-3, 3.86 ERA) will start the second game of the series. The Cubs have not announced a starter.


(AP Photo Marta Lavandier)