Seiya Suzuki falls a single short of the cycle, Cubs go deep four times in 9-0 rout of Pirates

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Seiya Suzuki hit a two-run homer and fell a single short of the cycle as the Chicago Cubs went deep four times in a 9-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

Shota Imanaga (3-1) gave up six hits with three strikeouts in five scoreless innings before leaving with leg cramps after a leadoff double from Andrew McCutchen in the sixth.

Suzuki followed an RBI single from Kyle Tucker with his seventh homer of the season, pushing the lead to 7-0 in the seventh inning. His double with two outs in the fourth was the first hit off Pirates starter Andrew Heaney (2-2). He led off the ninth with a triple and scored on a single from Carson Kelly.

Kelly followed Suzuki’s double in the fourth with a 418-foot drive into the left-field bleachers and Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled the lead in the fifth on another two-run homer. Dansby Swanson added a solo shot in the eighth.

Heaney extended his career-long scoreless streak to 20 innings before Kelly’s homer. He allowed four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Oneil Cruz walked to load the bases for Pittsburgh with two outs in the fifth but Imanaga struck out Bryan Reynolds on three pitches.

Key moment

Cruz made a leaping backhand grab in center for the second out in the fourth to rob Tucker and keep Heaney perfect. That ended when Suzuki doubled and Kelly homered. Heaney gave up two more runs the next inning on Crow-Armstrong’s homer and was pulled after loading the bases with a pair of two-out walks.

Key stat

The Cubs lead the majors with 181 runs through 30 games and have scored at least six runs in 12 of 23 games in April.

Up next

Cubs LHP Matthew Boyd (2-2, 2.54 ERA) will take the mound Wednesday. RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (1-3, 6.95) is scheduled for the Pirates.