DENVER (AP) — Kyle Tucker had two hits and an RBI, Javier Assad won his first game in almost a year and the Chicago Cubs beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Saturday night.
Tucker reached base four times and scored twice, and Michael Busch, Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki had two hits apiece for the Cubs, who have won all five games against the Rockies this season.
Ezequiel Tovar had two hits and Mickey Moniak and Hunter Goodman had RBIs for the Rockies, who have lost four in a row and eight of nine.
Assad (1-1)
gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings in his fourth start of the year after missing four months with an oblique injury. He walked two and struck out one.
Assad's last victory came last Aug. 31, when he beat Washington 7-4. He was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday when Jameson Taillon was placed on the injured list with a groin injury.
Daniel Palencia struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his 21st save in 23 chances.
The Cubs remained two games ahead of San Diego in the race for the first NL wild-card spot.
Colorado right-hander McCade Brown (0-2) gave up three runs on four hits. He struck out three and walked three.
Tucker’s RBI single gave the Cubs a 4-1 led in the sixth before the Rockies closed within 4-3 in the sixth when Tyler Freeman singled, Moniak tripled and Goodman hit a sacrifice fly.
Palencia scooped up Tovar’s grounder between the mound and first and made a swipe tag to retire Tovar for the second out of the ninth.
Tucker has reached base in eight straight games with hits in seven while going 11 for 28 with three doubles, three homers and eight RBIs.
Cubs: LHP Matt Boyd (12-7, 2.82 ERA) will face Rockies RHP Tanner Gordon (5-5, 6.44) Sunday in the series finale.
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