Michael Busch went 3-for-4 while rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong recorded his second straight multi-RBI game to help the visiting Chicago Cubs to a 7-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday.
The Cubs totaled 14 hits in support of rookie left-handed starter Shota Imanaga (4-0), who struck out seven — the second-highest total of his young MLB career — and allowed just one run on five hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Christopher Morel and Dansby Swanson also had two hits apiece in Chicago’s fourth straight win.
Keegan Thompson pitched the final 2 2/3 innings and allowed two hits after replacing Imanaga.
Tyler O’Neill went 2-for-4 and drove in Boston’s lone run on a fourth-inning solo home run.
Kutter Crawford (1-1) allowed four runs (three earned) on 10 hits while striking out four in six innings for the Red Sox.
Crawford’s MLB-leading 0.66 ERA entering the game ballooned to 1.35. He had allowed nine hits combined over his previous two starts.
The Cubs scored two times on four hits in the second inning. Busch doubled off the wall in center to begin the inning and Swanson singled to center, moving Busch to third. Matt Mervis lined a single to right to score Busch. Miguel Amaya lined into a double play and Crow-Armstrong drove Swanson home with a single to center.
Chicago added to its lead in the fourth. Swanson hit a leadoff single. One out later, Amaya reached on an error, moving Swanson to third. Crow-Armstrong drove in Swanson with a sacrifice bunt to give the Cubs a 3-0 lead.
Boston responded in its half of the fourth. O’Neill hit a one-out, solo homer to center. Imanaga then walked Rob Refsnyder and allowed a single to Rafael Devers, but he escaped the inning without further damage.
Chicago added to its lead in the fifth thanks to Busch’s sacrifice fly that drove in Mike Tauchman, who led off the inning with a single.
Patrick Wisdom ripped a pinch-hit, two-run double that rolled to the wall in center, highlighting a three-run seventh for Chicago.
