Cubs Snap Red Sox' Winning Streak with 4-1 Victory
Seiya Suzuki launched a three-run homer, propelling the Chicago Cubs to a 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox, effectively halting Boston's impressive 10-game winning streak on Friday.
Colin Rea took the mound for Chicago, delivering five solid innings in the first game of the season post-All-Star break. Despite issuing a season-high four walks, Rea allowed just one run and four hits, marking his fourth consecutive win.
Prior to this loss, Boston had claimed 12 of their last 13 games, positioning themselves as serious contenders in the competitive AL East. However, Lucas Giolito struggled early on, and the Red Sox left eight runners stranded during this challenging opener of a six-game road trip.
Giolito, pitching for the first time since July 9, walked the first two batters he faced. Suzuki capitalized on this shaky start, sending a four-seam fastball soaring deep into center field for his 26th home run, much to the delight of the 41,011 fans at Wrigley Field.
Nico Hoerner added an RBI single in the sixth inning, further extending the Cubs' lead as they continue to dominate the NL Central.
Giolito's performance saw him charged with four runs and five hits over 5 1/3 innings, marking his first loss since May 6. Prior to this game, he had been on a remarkable run, going 5-0 with an impressive 0.70 ERA in his last six starts.
Boston managed to score their only run in the third inning when Roman Anthony hit a two-out RBI double. This hit placed runners on second and third, but Rea managed to escape the situation by striking out Carlos Narváez.
In the eighth inning, Brad Keller pitched flawlessly for Chicago, while Daniel Palencia closed out the game in the ninth, securing his 13th save in 14 opportunities.
Boston had a potential rally in the fifth inning thwarted by a critical mistake from Abraham Toro. With two runners on and no outs, Toro was doubled off second base on a line drive from Alex Bregman.
The Cubs improved their record to an impressive 40-7 when scoring first in games this season.
Looking ahead, Brayan Bello (6-3, 3.14 ERA) is set to pitch for Boston on Saturday, while left-hander Shota Imanaga (6-3, 2.65) will take the mound for Chicago.
