Imanaga pitches 6 sharp innings, Crow-Armstrong doubles, steals 33rd base as Cubs beat Marlins 6-1

MIAMI (AP) — Shota Imanaga allowed three hits and one run in six innings and Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled and stole his 33rd base as the Chicago Cubs beat the Miami Marlins 6-1 on Friday.

Imanaga (9-10) struck out four and improved to 4-2 in nine starts since the All-Star break. Aaron Civale pitched the final three innings for his second save.

Armstrong continued to bolster his case for NL MVP, drawing a four-pitch walk, scoring twice and making a leaping grab at the center-field wall to rob Miami’s Heriberto Hernández of a potential extra-base hit in the sixth.

Alex Bregman singled twice and walked, stretching his hitting streak to eight games, dating to Aug 28. Nico Hoerner also had three hits and an RBI. Pedro Ramírez drove in two runs.

Marlins starter Janson Junk (6-9) struck out five and limited the Cubs to one run on three hits through five innings. Chicago then scored three in the sixth against relievers Jack Ralston and Josh Ekness.

Crow-Armstrong led off the sixth with a walk against Ralston, who then allowed one-out walks to Michael Busch and Bregman. Ekness entered, walked in a run and allowed an RBI single to Hoerner before Ramírez's sacrifice fly, making it 4-0.

The Marlins broke up the shutout bid in the seventh when Griffin Conine scored on Esteury Ruiz's groundout. Conine singled twice, and Deyvison De Los Santos doubled.

Busch hit a solo home run against Bradley Blalock in the ninth, driving the right-hander's sweeper 427 feet to right-center for his 18th homer of the season.

The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the second when Ian Happ scored on Ramírez's fielder's choice.

RHP Javier Assad (6-1, 3.46) will start the second game of the series for the Cubs against Marlins RHP Ryan Gusto (1-3, 3.86 ERA).

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Chicago Cubs' Alex Bregman scores on a sacrifice fly hit by Pedro Ramirez during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Chicago Cubs' Nico Hoerner (2) hits a single to left field during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Janson Junk (26) aims a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) steal second base as Miami Marlins second baseman Jared Serna is late with the tag during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga aims a pitch during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Teel is back with the Chicago White Sox after missing most of the season because of injuries.

Teel was activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday, and fellow catcher Drew Romo was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Teel went 0 for 3 in Chicago's 4-1 victory over Minnesota, flying out to the warning track in right in the fifth inning.

“Obviously his story this year of injuries and some of the setbacks has been tough for him,” manager Will Venable said before the series opener against the Twins. “But really excited to have him back in the lineup, back behind the plate. To get his energy back in the clubhouse, back on the field, it really means a lot.”

Chicago (74-67) leads the AL Central by 2 1/2 games over Cleveland. It is looking to secure an unlikely playoff berth after losing at least 101 games in each of the previous three years.

“This is what I envisioned. Being able to come back and help the team,” Teel said.

Teel, a first-round pick in the 2023 amateur draft, was acquired by Chicago when it traded Garrett Crochet to Boston in December 2024. He hit .273 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 78 games last year in his rookie season.

But Teel has appeared in just 20 big league games this year, hitting .182 with two homers and 14 RBIs.

He strained his right hamstring while playing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic. Then he hurt his right knee while on a rehab assignment for Charlotte.

He made his season debut for Chicago on June 22. But he injured his left ankle trying to tag a runner at home in the second inning of a 10-3 victory at Texas on July 20. He was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain.

“Immediately when it happened, it really felt terrible,” Teel said. “When the doctors said 12 weeks potentially, I just prayed that night. And I just feel blessed that I was able to come back so much sooner. I’m just so grateful for that.”

Romo was claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on Jan. 8. He is batting .141 with seven homers and 16 RBIs in 60 games this season. He had no homers and six RBIs in 19 career games — all with Colorado — coming into the year.

The plan is to have Romo stick around the White Sox on the team's taxi squad.

“Drew, he’s going to stay ready,” general manager Chris Getz said. “He’s actually going to stay with our club and help the group continue to go and if another opportunity arises he’ll be ready for it.”

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FILE - Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel throws the ball back to the pitcher during spring training baseball, Feb. 10, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)