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The Cubs won for the eighth time in the past 11
games. The Astros, in last place in the American League West,
took their fourth loss in a row and fell for the 11th time in
the past 14.
The Cubs went up 1-0 on Michael Busch's sacrifice fly in the
bottom of the first.
Two batters later, Swanson crushed a 2-2 cutter from Astros
right-hander Spencer Arrighetti 369 feet through a stiff wind
into the left field bleachers for a three-run blast, his third
homer of the year.
The Cubs' big lead lasted only until the third inning, when
Houston cut the margin in half with a small-ball rally.
Jon Singleton singled to lead off the frame. After a walk to
Victor Caratini, Singleton scored when first baseman Busch made
an errant throw after Jake Meyers dropped a sacrifice bunt to
the mound.
Caratini later scored on Alex Bregman's hit to second baseman
Nico Hoerner, which was deflected by starting pitcher Jameson
Taillon.
In the top of the ninth, Jose Altuve greeted former Astros
teammate Hector Neris, the Cubs' closer, with a 390-foot,
line-drive home run to left to slice the deficit to 4-3. It was
Altuve's sixth homer of the year.
Neris then retired Bregman, Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker in
order to register his second save as a Cub.
Taillon (2-0) worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs (one
earned) on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts. He
made 89 pitches.
Arrighetti (0-3), making his third major league start, lasted
just 3 2/3 innings. He yielded four runs on seven hits and two
walks with seven strikeouts in a 90-pitch outing.
The Cubs took the series opener 7-2 on Tuesday. The three-game
set concludes Thursday afternoon.
--Field Level Media
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