Crow-Armstrong homers twice, Imanaga shines as Cubs beat Braves 8-4

CHICAGO (AP) — Pete-Crow Armstrong hit his 43rd and 44th homers and broke the Chicago Cubs' record for left-handers, and Shota Imanaga allowed a run in six innings in an 8-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night.

Armstrong homered to lead off the third, breaking Billy Williams’ franchise record set in 1970. Crow-Armstrong led off the seventh with another shot for his 13th career multi-homer game and seventh of the season.

Alex Bregman went 3 for 4 with a home run, triple, double and four RBIs, and Crow-Armstrong added an RBI triple as the Cubs stayed a half-game ahead of the Phillies for the first NL wild card.

After allowing three hits in the first two innings, Imanaga (11-10) retired 11 straight batters before Ronald Acuna Jr. doubled and later scored in the sixth, striking out eight and walking none.

On a night when the Braves could have clinched a playoff spot with a win and results elsewhere, starter J.R. Ritchie (1-3) allowed six runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Bregman led off the fourth with his 26th home run, and Crow-Armstrong drove in Carson Kelly with a triple to right in the fifth before Bregman's triple scored a pair of runs.

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson, who has been out since August 16 with a left oblique strain, took six at-bats in a simulated game Wednesday and is on schedule to be activated Friday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.

Both teams are off Thursday. The Braves travel to Houston for a three-game series starting Friday, while the Cubs travel to Cincinnati.

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Atlanta Braves' JR Ritchie walks back to the dugout after being taken out during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

Atlanta Braves' JR Ritchie, middle, is taken out by manger Walt Weiss, left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong watches his home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong celebrates his home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong hits a home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso homered against the New York Mets again, a solo shot in the first inning that sent the Baltimore Orioles to a 7-1 victory Wednesday night and a three-game sweep at Citi Field.

Jeremiah Jackson, a former Mets farmhand, went deep in the second before Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Samuel Basallo hit back-to-back homers in the third. Chris Bassitt pitched into the seventh for the Orioles (75-78), who moved within 2 1/2 games of the Chicago White Sox for the last American League playoff berth.

Alonso tied the score in the ninth inning Tuesday with his 300th career homer and took a rare curtain call on the road to acknowledge adoring Mets fans still unhappy about his departure for Baltimore last December.

This time, he connected off fill-in starter Xzavion Curry (0-1) to begin an early power display by the Orioles.

Alonso hit a franchise-record 264 home runs and made five All-Star teams in seven seasons with the Mets. But they didn’t attempt to re-sign him as a free agent last offseason and Alonso agreed to a $155 million, five-year contract with Baltimore.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

New York Mets Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after being called out during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Yennier Cano (78) celebrates with catcher Samuel Basallo after defeating the New York Mets in a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Baltimore Orioles Christian Encarnacion-Strand (32) celebrates with teammate Coby Mayo (16) after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Baltimore Orioles Pete Alonso hits a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Baltimore Orioles Pete Alonso (25) celebrates a solo home run with his teammate Coby Mayo (16) during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)