DENVER (AP) — Seiya Suzuki hit his third career grand slam, Alex Bregman added a two-run homer and the Chicago Cubs snapped a three-game skid with a 9-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.
Chicago, which had scored three or fewer runs in seven of its last nine games before Thursday, had its highest run total since beating Pittsburgh 10-4 on May 27.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell was ejected in the top of the sixth by home plate umpire Louis Krupa
after arguing Moises Ballesteros’ double-play grounder appeared to hit off his shin guard and should have been ruled a foul ball.
Brett Sullivan hit two home runs and Cole Carrigg, who made his MLB debut Tuesday night, added a solo shot for Colorado.
Rockies starter Ryan Feltner (2-2) retired the first nine batters he faced before Pete Crow-Armstrong led off the fourth with a single. The Cubs added another single and walk to load the bases before Suzuki lined a sinker down the left-field line for his 10th homer of the season and first slam since September of last season.
The Cubs added two more runs in the fifth, Bregman hit his sixth homer in the seventh, and Carson Kelly capped the scoring with a solo shot, his third, in the eighth.
Sullivan gave Colorado a 1-0 lead in the third with his first home run and Carrigg hit one 418 feet into the Rockies bullpen in the fourth.
Those were the only runs allowed by Chicago starter Edward Cabrera (4-3), who left after retiring Hunter Goodman with one out in the sixth. Cabrera allowed five hits, two earned runs and struck out five.
Sullivan added a single and homered in the ninth for his first career multi-homer game.
Cubs: Have not announced a starter for Friday’s opener against Giants RHP Landon Roupp (5-6, 4.00 ERA) at San Francisco.
Rockies: Have not announced a starter for Friday’s opener against Athletics LHP Gage Jump (2-1, 2.45 ERA) in Las Vegas.
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