CHICAGO — Christopher Morel, Cody Bellinger and Dansby Swanson each hit solo homers in the third inning and the Chicago Cubs snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
Swanson added two singles and Kyle Hendricks pitched 5 2/3 effective innings to help Chicago (77-67) solidify its position as the second wild card team in the National League. Arizona’s four-game winning streak has ended, but the Diamondbacks (75-69) remain in the third wild card spot. Arizona held the Cubs to just four runs in the first three games of the series.
Morel hit 21 home runs, Bellinger hit 25 and Swanson 20 against rookie right-hander Brandon Pfaadt, who was scheduled to start the game.
However, Pfaadt entered the third inning as the second reliever after manager Tory Lovullo used left-hander Joe Mantiply as the starter.
Swanson finished with two RBIs and Seiya Suzuki doubled and drove in a run for the Cubs. Morel also hit a triple.
Hendricks (6-7) allowed two runs on seven hits, while striking out four. The right-hander exited after 82 pitches with two outs in the sixth after issuing a walk.
For the Diamondbacks, Cuban Lourdes Gurriel Jr., 3-1, with one run scored. Puerto Rican Emmanuel Rivera 3-1. The Venezuelan Gabriel Moreno is 1-0. Dominican Geraldo Perdomo 3-0.
For the Cubs, Dominican Christopher Morel was 2-for-4, with a run scored and an RBI. Brazilian Yan Gomes 3-0.
