Michael Conforto comes through in a pinch as streaking Cubs rally in 9th for 5-4 win over Reds

CHICAGO (AP) — Pinch-hitter Michael Conforto capped a two-run ninth inning with a solo homer, and the Chicago Cubs rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 on Monday night for their sixth straight victory.

Seiya Suzuki hit a 455-foot home run for the NL Central leaders, who improved to 23-12 with their 16th win in 19 games. Chicago has won 12 in a row at home, the team’s best streak at Wrigley Field since a 14-game run in 2008.

The Reds took a 4-3 lead in the eighth when Spencer Steer lined an RBI single against Ben Brown, only to drop their fourth straight.

Pete Crow-Armstrong tripled leading off the ninth against Emilio Pagán (2-1) on a ball that popped out of center fielder Dane Myers’ glove as he tried to make a leaping catch against the wall. Crow-Armstrong scored one out later on Nico Hoerner’s sacrifice fly.

Conforto, batting for Matt Shaw, then drove a 3-2 pitch to left-center and was mobbed by happy teammates as he crossed home plate.

The teams waited out a delay of 1 hour, 40 minutes at the start because of a thunderstorm after the game was initially moved up a half hour.

The Cubs trailed 3-0 in the fourth before Suzuki tied it with a three-run drive off Chase Petty, Chicago’s longest homer of the season.

Edward Cabrera went six innings, allowing three runs and nine hits. He gave up a homer to JJ Bleday leading off the third and a two-run drive to Ke’Bryan Hayes in the fourth.

Ryan Rolison (2-0) worked the ninth.

In his first major league start this season, Petty gave up three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. The Reds recalled the right-hander from Triple-A Louisville prior to the game.

Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (2-1, 4.41 ERA) looks to win his second straight start, while LHP Andrew Abbott (1-2, 5.97) gets the ball for the Reds. Taillon tossed seven solid innings at San Diego last week.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher C. Petty wipes his face after Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, of Japan, hit a three-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A rainbow occurs while a tarp covers the infield during a rain delay before a baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, of Japan, celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Chicago, Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Michael Conforto, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting the winning solo home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Chicago, Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Michael Conforto, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting the winning solo home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Chicago, Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Trevor McDonald pitched seven crisp innings in his season debut and the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Monday night.

Casey Schmitt hit his fifth home run, Luis Arraez had two doubles and scored twice while Rafael Devers drove in two runs to help the Giants to win in their first home game at Oracle Park following an 0-6 road trip.

McDonald (1-0), called up from Triple-A Sacramento earlier in the day, was sharp in his first game of the season. The right-hander matched his career-high of seven innings and allowed one run and two hits with eight strikeouts despite getting hit near his right hip by a 102.9 mph line drive by Miguel Andujar leading off the fifth.

Jackson Merill and Ramon Laureano homered for the Padres.

The Giants failed to homer during their winless road trip, the first time that’s happened since 2008. Their power drought ended when Schmitt connected on a 3-2 fastball from Padres starting pitcher Randy Vásquez in the first inning.

That tied the score at 1-1 after Merrill crushed a soft change-up to center for his fourth home run of the season in the top of the inning.

Arraez, who doubled and scored in the first inning, doubled again leading off the sixth and scored on Devers’ sacrifice fly to make it 3-1.

After Keaton Winn retired one batter for San Francisco, Laureano homered off Caleb Killian leading off the ninth. Killian retired the next three batters for his first save.

Vásquez (3-1) pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed five hits and three runs in his first career start against the Giants.

Padres RHP Walker Buehler (1-2, 5.40 ERA) pitches the middle game of the series Tuesday. RHP Logan Webb (2-3, 4.30) get the start for the Giants.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

San Francisco Giants' Trevor McDonald pitches to a San Diego Padres batter during the fifth inning of a baseball game Monday, May 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Rafael Devers watches his sacrifice fly during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Monday, May 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Luis Arraez scores against the San Diego Padres on Rafael Devers' sacrifice fly during the sixth inning of a baseball game Monday, May 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)