CHICAGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong homered and drove in a career-high six runs, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the Chicago White Sox 13-3 on Friday in the first meeting of the season between the crosstown rivals.
Seiya Suzuki had two hits and two RBIs for the NL Central-leading Cubs on a warm and windy afternoon at Wrigley Field. Nico Hoerner scored three times, and Cade Horton (2-0) pitched five innings of three-run ball in his first career start.
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Chicago White Sox's Miguel Vargas rounds third base after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago Cubs starter Cade Horton delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Friday, May 16, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago White Sox starter Shane Smith delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Friday, May 16, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago Cubs' Moises Ballesteros watches his fielder's choice RBI during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch left, slides into home plate safely as Chicago White Sox catcher Matt Thaiss (29) attempts to apply the tag during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 16, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
The Cubs earned their sixth consecutive win against the White Sox, matching a franchise record for the series.
Miguel Vargas went deep twice for the White Sox in his first career multihomer game. He also matched a career high with four hits.
Vargas connected for a two-run drive in the first and a solo drive in the third. But the Cubs went ahead to stay with six runs in the second against Shane Smith (1-3).
With one out and runners on second and third, Michael Busch used a nifty slide to score on Moisés Ballesteros' chopper to first baseman Andrew Vaughn. Hoerner then hit a grounder to shortstop Chase Meidroth, who made a strong throw to the plate that was dropped by catcher Matt Thaiss for an error.
After Jon Berti struck out looking, Crow-Armstrong hit a three-run drive to right for his 12th homer. Suzuki tacked on an RBI double for a 6-2 lead.
Smith was charged with one earned run and seven hits in five innings. The rookie right-hander struck out five and walked one.
Crow-Armstrong also drove in Hoerner with a wind-aided single in the sixth, and then singled home two more runs in the seventh for a 10-3 lead.
Ballesteros hit an RBI single in the eighth for his first hit in his second major league game.
Smith has surrendered two homers in 48 1/3 innings in his first big league season. He allowed a three-run shot by Boston's Rafael Devers on April 19.
White Sox right-hander Sean Burke (2-4, 4.15 ERA) and Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (3-2, 2.78 ERA) take the mound on Saturday.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Chicago White Sox's Miguel Vargas rounds third base after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago Cubs starter Cade Horton delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Friday, May 16, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago White Sox starter Shane Smith delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Friday, May 16, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago Cubs' Moises Ballesteros watches his fielder's choice RBI during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch left, slides into home plate safely as Chicago White Sox catcher Matt Thaiss (29) attempts to apply the tag during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 16, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
NEW YORK (AP) — Robbed an inning earlier, Cody Bellinger wasn't sure his first three-homer game had been swiped away again.
“I didn't know at first,” he said. “For that third one to finally get over feels pretty good.”
Bellinger hit three two-run homers against his former team and was denied a fourth by a spectacular catch, leading the Yankees to an 11-0 rout of the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.
Aaron Judge made a trio of outstanding grabs in right field for the Yankees, who have won fifth straight games following a a six-game losing streak.
Bellinger, whose dad Clay played for the Yankees from 1999 to 2001, is a two-time All-Star and 2019 NL MVP.
He spent 2023 and ’24 with the Cubs, hitting .266 with 18 homers and 78 RBIs in 130 games last year while missing time because of a broken right rib. The Cubs traded him to New York in December with $52.5 million remaining on his contract and agreed to pay the Yankees $5 million.
He homered in a three-run third off Chris Flexen and in the fifth against Caleb Thielbar for this 18th multi-homer game. Bellinger nearly went deep in the seventh but was robbed by Kyle Tucker on a drive above the right-field wall.
“I was watching it. He timed it up perfect, so I was a little sick about it, honestly,” Bellinger said. “But it was a good catch.”
“Boys were giving me a hard time after he robbed it. Boonie was giving me hard time,” Bellinger added.
A four-time All-Star and a Gold Glove winner, Tucker snatched the ball as a fan tried for it, the spectator clasping both sides of the outfielder's glove.
“I caught the ball and he caught my glove, so I figured even if I dropped it they’d probably look at it and get it overturned," Tucker said. "I’ve probably had some encounters with me trying to go into the stands and catching a ball and me hitting someone’s hand or whatever but I don’t know if anyone’s ever actually kind of caught my glove while doing it.”
Bellinger homered in the eighth off Jordan Wicks, just above the red glove of leaping center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and into the dark glove of a kid in the front row.
“The fan just beat to the spot," Crow-Armstrong said. "He just had a better chance of catching it higher than I did.”
Bellinger, who had rounded first, watched and then smiled when he saw he had hit No. 3.
“Glad the fan caught it before PCA could grab it,” said Bellinger, who met the boy after and got the ball back. “I’ve seen PCA rob so many homers. He’s a freak athlete out there.”
Bellinger is batting .406 over a career-high 16-game hitting streak, raising his average to .285 with 16 homers and 54 RBIs.
He had spoken with his Cubs ex-teammates during batting practice.
“No, no, no revenge,” he said. “Honestly, ultimately it was just fun to be out there. I saw a bunch of guys I hadn’t seen in a while and I shared a bunch of good memories with them for these past two years.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. and manager Aaron Boone encouraged Bellinger to emerge from the dugout for a curtain call.
“He was a little reluctant, but then the Bell-lin-ger” over the dugout got pretty loud. So I think he succumbed to it," Boone said. “Belly’s loved being here and loved playing here in a meaningful place to him, going back to his childhood."
Bellinger turns 30 on Sunday and can opt out of the final season of his contract this fall. With long balls and wide smiles, he seems to have found a home in the Yankees clubhouse.
He tried not to make much of getting the three homers against the Cubs, but Bellinger's teammates could sense the significance.
“It’s always good to go against your old teammates that you spend a lot of time with, you know, you respect,” Boone said. “To perform right away against them I’m sure probably is a little cherry on top for him.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger (35) hits a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger reacts after lining out during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger hits a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger hits a home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger hits a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
