CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Busch singled in the winning run in the 10th inning after hitting a tying homer in the eighth and the Chicago Cubs won their seventh straight by rallying again to beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Busch won it when his grounder up the middle leading off the 10th against Sam Moll (1-2) handcuffed shortstop Elly De La Cruz. Dansby Swanson scored from second, giving the Cubs their 17th win in 20 games. They’ve won 13 straight at home, their best streak at Wrigley Field since a 14-game run in 2008.
Click to Gallery
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon throws against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott throws against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Cincinnati Reds' JJ Bleday hits a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Cincinnati Reds' Nathaniel Lowe celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
The Cubs scored two in the ninth on Monday to beat the Reds, who have lost a season-high five in a row.
Cincinnati closer Emilio Pagán is headed to the injured list after he crumpled to the ground and was carted off the field with a left hamstring injury in the ninth inning. The right-hander came in to start the inning and as he followed through on the first pitch he delivered to Nico Hoerner, Pagán hopped off the mound in pain and went to the ground, clutching his hamstring.
Jose Franco walked Hoerner before retiring Alex Bregman on a line drive to left. Ian Happ then walked, putting runners on first and second. But Franco got out of the jam unscathed.
JJ Bleday gave the Reds a 1-0 lead in the first with a drive to right for his second homer in as many nights. Nathaniel Lowe chased Cubs starter Jameson Taillon in the sixth with a drive that made it 2-0. Andrew Abbott pitched shutout ball into the sixth, allowing four hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Taillon gave up two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Ryan Rolison (3-0) worked the 10th.
Bregman cut it to 2-1 with an RBI single in the seventh against Connor Phillips. Busch tied it in the eighth with a 427-foot drive to right-center against Tony Santillan. But the Cubs lost for just the fourth time in 20 games.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon throws against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott throws against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Cincinnati Reds' JJ Bleday hits a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Cincinnati Reds' Nathaniel Lowe celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham scored 23 points, Tobias Harris had 20 and the Detroit Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-101 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of their second-round series.
Duncan Robinson added 19 points for the top-seeded Pistons, who ended an NBA record-tying 12-game postseason losing streak against a single opponent, a drought that dated to the 2007 Eastern Conference finals.
Game 2 is Thursday night in Detroit.
The Pistons forced 20 turnovers that led to 31 points in a strong performance against Cleveland's potent backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
“That's what this series presents, but we're up for a challenge," Harris said. "I thought tonight we did a great job of that.”
Mitchell scored 23 points, ending his NBA-record streak of scoring 30-plus points in nine straight series openers.
Harden had 22 points and Max Strus scored 19 for the No. 4-seeded Cavs, who pulled into a tie midway through the fourth quarter after trailing for most of the night and by as much as 18 points.
Harden committed seven turnovers and pointed the blame at himself.
“You look within first,” he said. “Look at my turnovers and a lot of them are just on me and nothing they did.”
Cleveland center Jarrett Allen was limited to two points and three rebounds, coming off a 22-point, 19-rebound performance in an elimination game against Toronto.
Two days after both teams won a Game 7, the Pistons started strong and led 37-31 after a quarter. Detroit took a 59-46 lead into the second half, when the cushion was no longer comfortable.
Cleveland pulled within three points late in the third and Ron Holland hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the quarter and put the Pistons up 83-76.
After the Cavs cut their deficit to three again early in the fourth, the Pistons responded with eight consecutive points to restore a double-digit lead.
Cleveland, though, wouldn’t go away.
Harden, playing the Pistons for the first time since Cleveland acquired him, scored seven straight points to pull the Cavs into a 93-all tie with 5:28 left.
Jalen Duren blocked Harden’s next shot and dunked on Detroit’s next three possessions — each off Cunningham assists.
The Pistons won the Central Division this year by eight games ahead of the defending champion Cavs, splitting four games during the regular season.
Detroit earned 60 victories and the top seed in the East just two years after losing 68 games and setting a single-season NBA record with 28 straight losses.
The Pistons rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the first round against Orlando to advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Cleveland outlasted Toronto in seven games to reach the second round for the third straight year, a run that started with Bickerstaff, who was fired by the Cavs and hired a month later by the Pistons.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) defended against a shot by Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) during the first half in Game 1 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dennis Schroder (8) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins (24) during the first half in Game 1 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) passes the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (2) and guard Dennis Schroder (8) during the first half in Game 1 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) talks with referee James Capers (19) during the first half in Game 1 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series against the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) drives against Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart (28) during the first half in Game 1 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
