Cubs Win 5th Straight, Top Diamondbacks 7-2
CHICAGO (AP) — Scott Hairston hit a grand slam and Matt Garza got his first victory of the season and the Chicago Cubs extended their winning streak to five games by defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-2 on Friday.
Alfonso Soriano had a two-run homer and Cody Ransom added a solo shot for the Cubs, who have won five straight for the first time since winning seven in a row from July 31-Aug. 6, 2011.
Hairston's grand slam was the second in two games for the Cubs. Pitcher Travis Wood hit one on Thursday in a win over the White Sox. It also gave them grand slams in consecutive games at Wrigley Field for the first time since Jim Hickman and Burt Hooton did it Sept. 15-16, 1972, against the Mets.
Garza, who was making his third start of the season since coming off the disabled list with a strained back muscle, pitched seven innings and allowed two runs and six hits while striking out four for his first victory since July 15 of last season.
Garza (1-0), who was also making his first home start of the season, bounced back from his previous start, when he gave up four runs in four innings last Sunday in Cincinnati.
Chicago has outscored opponents 36-12 during its five-game winning streak. The Cubs were coming off three straight wins over the White Sox.
Wade Miley (3-5) took the loss for Arizona. He went seven innings and allowed seven runs and seven hits.
One year after winning 16 games and finishing second in National League Rookie of the Year voting, Miley has continued to struggle. He's lost four straight decisions and has given up 22 earned runs over his past four starts. Miley's tough start was the second in a row for Arizona, which has lost four straight on the road. On Thursday, Brandon McCarthy lasted 2 2-3 innings and allowed nine hits and six runs in a 9-5 loss to the Rangers.
Chicago, which had dropped six straight before its winning streak, got to Miley early in the game.
Soriano gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run home run, bringing in David DeJesus who was hit by Miley. On a 1-1 pitch, Soriano hit a high drive that was helped by a wind blowing out.
The homer was Soriano's 378th of his career, tying him with Diamondbacks third base coach Matt Williams for 66th all time.
The Cubs scored five runs in the third, highlighted by Hairston's grand slam and Ransom's solo homer.
DeJesus singled and Anthony Rizzo doubled with one out before Soriano was intentionally walked. Hairston then hit a 1-1 pitch well into the left-field bleachers for his third career grand slam.
Two batters later, Ransom homered to left to cap the Cubs' five-run inning, which equaled their fourth inning against Texas on May 6 as Chicago's biggest of the year.
Arizona scored two runs in the sixth off Garza on a Didi Gregorius sacrifice fly and Miguel Montero's double.
NOTES: Before Friday's game the Diamondbacks placed 3B Eric Chavez on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique he suffered Thursday at Texas. Arizona also activated utility man Willie Bloomquist from the DL after missing two months with an oblique strain. Chavez is hitting .325 with seven home runs. ... Soriano's home run was his 18th in his 145th career at-bat against Arizona. ... The announced attendance of 24,645 was the smallest of the season at Wrigley Field. ... The umpiring crew at Wrigley Field also worked Thursday's Royals-Cardinals game in St. Louis that ended at 3:14 a.m. Friday morning. Friday's game was the lone day game in baseball. ... Garza went 0 for 3 at the plate, keeping Cubs pitchers at 19 RBIs in May, the most by a pitching staff during one month in NL history. ... Saturday's pitching matchup is the Diamondbacks' Ian Kennedy (2-3, 4.70) against the Cubs' Jeff Samardzija (3-6, 2.85).
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