Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker both homer and drive in 4 runs as the Cardinals pound the Cubs 11-4

CHICAGO (AP) — Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker both homered and finished with three hits and four RBIs, and the St. Louis Cardinals pounded the Chicago Cubs 11-4 on Sunday for a second straight win at Wrigley Field.

Burleson has homered in consecutive games, boosting his total to 21 to tie his career high. Walker’s drive, his 24th, was just the second in 30 games for the All-Star right fielder and capped the Cardinals' six-run fourth inning.

Walker doubled twice and Burleson once to help St. Louis cruise to its fifth win in seven games.

Joshua Báez, who became the first player to hit three home runs in his first three at-bats in the major leagues on Saturday, went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts.

Pete Crow-Armstrong cracked his 28th home run, a two-run shot. Miguel Amaya added a solo drive in the ninth as Chicago lost for the third time in four.

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson left the game after hurting himself when he swung and missed on the first pitch from Cardinals starter Hunter Dobbins in the third.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Swanson would have an MRI on Monday, but believed the two-time Gold Glove winner had sustained a left oblique injury that will land him on the injured list.

Dobbins (3-3) allowed two runs on two hits through five innings, striking out seven and walking four. Three relievers followed.

Cubs starter Edward Cabrera (5-5) struggled after coming off the injured list for his first start since June 23, when he suffered a left hamstring/adductor strain against the Mets in New York. To make room on the roster, the Cubs optioned right-hander Javier Assad to Triple-A Iowa.

Cabrera was rocked for seven runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked three — all in the fourth — and all scored in the Cardinals’ six-run rally.

Burleson launched a sinker deep into the right-field bleachers for a 2-0 St. Louis lead in the first. The Cardinals upped it to 3-0 in the second, then blew it open in the fourth.

Burleson had two-run single and Walker a two-run shot to center in the rally.

Cardinals: LHP Quinn Matthews (0-1, 3.60 ERA) will be recalled from Triple-A Memphis to start the first game of a doubleheader at Cincinnati on Monday and face Reds RHP Rhett Lowder (4-8, 5.15) RHP Andre Pallante (12-6, 3.46) will start the second for the Cardinals

Cubs: LHP Shota Imanaga (8-9, 3.74 ERA) faces White Sox RHP Luis Castillo (4-9, 4.96) on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at Wrigley.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Chicago Cubs' James Triantos strikes out during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker hits a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker (18) celebrates with teammate Alec Burleson (41) after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker watches his two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s economy grew an annual rate of 1.1% in the April-June quarter even as private consumption stayed flat and the growth of exports declined, according to government data released Monday.

Japan ’s real GDP, or gross domestic product, the sum value of nation’s goods and services, grew at a seasonally adjusted rate of 0.3% from the first quarter to second quarter of this 2026, according to Cabinet Office data.

The annualized rate shows what the growth rate would have been if it had continued for a whole year. It was 2.1% in the January-March period.

Private spending dipped 1.2% in April-June compared to January-March, while exports grew 0.5%.

Exports for the latest period were driven by the global demand for Japanese autos and semiconductors. Japan is home for Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and other top automakers.

Global demand for computer chips being powered by interest in AI, helping to support Japan's exports.

Government consumption rose 1.6%.

Quarterly GDP growth was lower than what analysts had expected. The Japanese economy has been hurt by the war in Iran, which has sent energy costs surging. That’s especially difficult for resource-poor Japan, which imports almost all its oil.

The Strait of Hormuz, a vital transport route for oil exports from the Persian Gulf to Asia, has been effectively blocked due to the war, pushing prices higher. Japan has released some oil reserves and is working on alternate routes.

Brent crude has been recently trading at about $88 a barrel, up from about $65 a year ago, although that’s lower than earlier this year, when it shot above $110 a barrel.

A weak yen has also worked as a plus for some Japanese companies, including giant exporters like Toyota, boosting the value of overseas earnings when translated into yen.

But a weak yen makes it more expensive to import raw materials, raising prices for consumers and denting spending.

Concerns have been growing about rising prices, as wage growth in Japan has been relatively stagnant.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has promised to get growth going again, but her public support ratings, while still high compared to some of her predecessors, have been gradually sinking.

The U.S. dollar has been trading at near 160 Japanese yen levels lately, up from about 145 yen a year ago. It was trading at about 159 yen after Monday’s economic data got released.

The Bank of Japan recently raised its economic growth outlook to 0.6% for the fiscal year through March next year, from an earlier 0.5%.

Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

FILE - Vehicles are parked for export at a Yokohama port, near Tokyo on Aug. 1, 2025. (Takuto Kaneko/Kyodo News via AP, File)