Contreras finds big bat, helps Cubs end losing streak

MIAMI -- Rookie Willson Contreras homered and drove in three runs to help the Chicago Cubs break their longest losing streak of the season at four games by beating the Miami Marlins 5-4 Friday night.

Contreras hit a two-run home run in the Cubs' four-run first inning. His RBI single in the seventh put the team with the best record in the majors ahead to stay. He's batting .412 with three home runs and eight RBI after seven games in the big leagues.

While Contreras again excelled as a reinforcement for the injury-hampered NL Central leaders, they endured another setback when second baseman Ben Zobrist left the game after he was hit by a pitch on the left ankle.

Four pitchers held the Marlins to two hits, including Justin Bour's grand slam.

Each team scored four runs in the first inning, when Kris Bryant and Contreras homered for the Cubs. It was the first time in the majors this year that both teams scored at least four runs in the first, according to ESPN.

Despite the early onslaught, both starters settled down before departing with the score still 4-4.

The Cubs' Kyle Hendricks pitched five innings and allowed only one hit -- Bour's slam. All four runs were unearned because of an error by shortstop Addison Russell.

Miami's Tom Koehler gave up six consecutive hits in the first but still pitched six innings.

Trevor Cahill (1-2) threw a scoreless sixth to help the Cubs break their longest losing streak of the season. Hector Rondon retired all four batters he faced for his second four-out save in a row, and his 13th overall.

PIRATES 8, DODGERS 6 Matt Joyce homered and doubled among his three hits as host Pittsburgh beat Los Angeles, ending the Dodgers' six-game winning streak and giving Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle his 1,000th career victory.

PADRES 13, REDS 4 Wil Myers drove in five runs and Melvin Upton Jr. had a pair of two-run home runs as visiting San Diego beat Cincinnati.

METS 8, BRAVES 6 James Loney hit a three-run home run, Travis d'Arnaud drove in three runs and New York survived host Atlanta's six-run fifth inning.

BREWERS 5, NATIONALS 3 Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Keon Broxton each hit home runs off Max Scherzer and Milwaukee beat visiting Washington to extend its losing streak to a season-worst six games.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

ASTROS 13, ROYALS 4 George Springer hit a grand slam and a triple in Houston's nine-run first inning against Edinson Volquez, and the visitors routed Kansas City.

YANKEES 5, TWINS 3 Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman combined for three innings of perfect relief for the second consecutive game and host New York took advantage of three errors to rally past Minnesota.

ORIOLES 6, RAYS 3 Adam Jones homered to ignite a four-run sixth inning, and Baltimore defeated visiting Tampa Bay to extend the Rays' losing streak to eight games. Rookie Ashur Tolliver (Sylvan Hills) got two outs in the sixth to earn his first major league victory and Zach Britton worked the ninth for his 22nd save.

INDIANS 7, TIGERS 4 Jason Kipnis hit two of Cleveland's four triples as the team continued its season-long dominance of host Detroit.

WHITE SOX 3, BLUE JAYS 2 Melky Cabrera homered, Todd Frazier drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the seventh, and Chicago beat visiting Toronto.

RED SOX 8, RANGERS 7 Mookie Betts hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning and Dustin Pedroia scored the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch as Boston rallied for a victory over host Texas.

INTERLEAGUE

MARINERS 4, CARDINALS 3 Adam Lind hit a game-winning three-run home run in the ninth inning off St. Louis closer Trevor Rosenthal, and host Seattle rallied for a victory to snap a six-game losing streak.

Sports on 06/25/2016

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