HOUSTON (AP) Kyle Tucker launched a three-run homer and matched a season high with four hits against the team that traded him in December, and the Chicago Cubs routed Houston 12-3 on Saturday night to stop the Astros‘ five-game winning streak.
Tucker also scored four times to pace a Cubs lineup that pounded out 15 hits, including three by Dansby Swanson. Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner also went deep.
Chicago hit three homers in an inning for the second time this season during a seven-run fourth. Busch and Hoerner had back-to-back solo shots to put the Cubs on top 3-2, and Tucker’s drive made it 7-2.
The offensive outburst came in support of Colin Rea (5-3), who allowed two runs and five hits over five innings. The only blemish on his line was rookie Cam Smith’s two-run homer in the third, which briefly gave the Astros a 2-1 lead.
Smith, part of the package Houston received for Tucker, finished with two hits and has homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3) came off the injured list and allowed eight runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Isaac Paredes, also part of the Astros’ trade return for Tucker, hit his 17th home run.
Tucker’s three-run homer in the fourth that put the Cubs ahead 7-2.
McCullers has a 10.89 ERA in five home starts this season, but hasn’t allowed an earned run in three road starts.
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (8-4, 2.88 ERA) opposes RHP Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.77 ERA) when the series concludes Sunday.
—
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Copyright 2025 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. Happ LF | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .243 |
| K. Tucker RF | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | .291 |
| S. Suzuki DH | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | .261 |
| P. Crow-Armstrong CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .266 |
| D. Swanson SS | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | .247 |
| V. Brujan PR-SS | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .161 |
| M. Busch 1B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .275 |
| N. Hoerner 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .294 |
| a- J. Berti PH-2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .202 |
| M. Shaw 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .222 |
| R. McGuire C | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .235 |
- a-hit into fielder’s choice for Hoerner in the 8th
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. Paredes 3B | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .254 |
| J. Meyers CF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .307 |
| T. Trammell CF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| J. Altuve 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .261 |
| L. Guillorme 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .118 |
| C. Smith RF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .281 |
| Y. Diaz DH | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .242 |
| V. Caratini C-1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .240 |
| C. Walker 1B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .216 |
| C. Salazar C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 |
| C. Hummel LF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .200 |
| M. Dubon SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .237 |
- 2B – K. Tucker (17), D. Swanson (12)
- 3B – S. Suzuki (3)
- HR – K. Tucker (17), S. Suzuki (22), M. Busch (14), N. Hoerner (3)
- SF – P. Crow-Armstrong (3)
- RBI – I. Happ (43), K. Tucker 3 (52), S. Suzuki 2 (69), P. Crow-Armstrong (62), D. Swanson (40), M. Busch 3 (49), N. Hoerner (35)
- 2-Out RBI – D. Swanson, M. Busch 2 (2)
- Runners left in scoring position, 2-Out – I. Happ, N. Hoerner 2 (2)
- 2B – C. Walker (12)
- HR – I. Paredes (17), C. Smith (7)
- RBI – I. Paredes (46), C. Smith 2 (33)
- 2-Out RBI – C. Smith 2 (2)
- Runners left in scoring position, 2-Out – Y. Diaz, M. Dubon
- SB – K. Tucker (20), P. Crow-Armstrong (25), M. Shaw (10)
- DP – (Swanson-Busch)
| PITCHERS | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C. Rea(W, 5-3) | 5.0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4.37 |
| R. Brasier | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.46 |
| D. Pomeranz | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
| P. Hodge | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5.06 |
| R. Pressly | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.77 |
| PITCHERS | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L. McCullers(L, 1-3) | 3.1 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 6.61 |
| S. Okert | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.43 |
| R. Gusto | 4.0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4.90 |
| J. Weems | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
- Pitches-Strikes – C. Rea 79-51, R. Brasier 12-11, D. Pomeranz 13-8, P. Hodge 19-10, R. Pressly 12-7
- Ground Balls-Fly Balls – C. Rea 4-7, R. Brasier 1-1, D. Pomeranz 1-1, P. Hodge 1-1
- Batters Faced – C. Rea 20, R. Brasier 3, D. Pomeranz 3, P. Hodge 4, R. Pressly 3
- Pitches-Strikes – L. McCullers 79-41, S. Okert 5-4, R. Gusto 65-42, J. Weems 11-7
- Ground Balls-Fly Balls – L. McCullers 9-3, R. Gusto 4-6, J. Weems 1-1
- Batters Faced – L. McCullers 21, S. Okert 3, R. Gusto 19, J. Weems 3