NEW YORK — Ben Zobrist hit a three-run homer, Anthony Rizzo had a solo shot among his three hits and Jon Lester worked out of a pair of jams while pitching 5-2/3 scoreless innings as the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-2 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.
Zobrist’s home run in the third inning opened the scoring and came immediately after center fielder Andrew McCutchen dropped Rizzo’s two-out liner for an error to extend the inning, sending the Cubs on their way to their seventh win in eight games.
Chicago improved its major-league-best record to 20-6 while winning its seventh consecutive road game. The Cubs completed their first sweep in Pittsburgh since Sept. 7-9, 2012, and moved six games in front of the second-place Pirates (15-13) in the National League Central.
Mets 8, Braves 0
Steven Matz allowed two hits in 7-2/3 shutout innings and Lucas Duda hit two of New York’s four homers as the Mets blanked Atlanta.
The Mets bounced back from being one-hit Tuesday night to win for the 15th time in 19 games. The Braves have scored one run or fewer eight times this season.
Reds 7, Giants 4
Zack Cozart returned to the lineup and hit a two-run home run — one of four homers hit by Cincinnati — and Dan Straily earned his first victory as a Red in a victory over San Francisco in the finale of a three-game series.
Eugenio Suarez had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Brandon Phillips and Adam Duvall added solo shots for the Reds, who avoided being swept by the Giants in Cincinnati for the first time since 1999.
Nationals 13, Royals 2
Washington scored early and often, with six runs in the first inning and four in the third to blow away Kansas City.
The Nationals batted around twice in the first three innings. Kris Medlen gave up nine runs (six earned) and nine hits in two-plus innings after the Royals, who came into the game tied with the Nationals for the fewest errors in MLB, had errors on the first two batters of the game.
Rockies 2, Padres 0
Tyler Chatwood pitched eight scoreless innings and added a single that led to Colorado’s first run to help the Rockies avoid being swept in a three-game series.
Chatwood, 26, is now 4-0 in four road games this season with a major-league-best 0.33 road ERA. Jake McGee picked up his seventh save with a perfect ninth to complete the eighth shutout against the Padres this season.
Angels 7, Brewers 3
Mike Trout’s seventh homer of the season and a two-run single by Johnny Giavotella sparked a four-run rally in the eighth inning that helped the Angels win.
Trout already had an RBI triple to his credit on the day when he stepped in against Tyler Thornburg, who hung a slider that Trout ripped to right. Pinch hitter C.J. Cron added an RBI double in the inning, and Giavotella contributed a two-run single off Blaine Boyer.
In other games it was: Mariners 9, Athletics 8; Indians 4, Tigers 0; Blue Jays 4, Rangers 3; Marlins 4, Diamondbacks 3; Yankees 7, Orioles 0; Rays 8, Dodgers 5; Red Sox 5, White Sox 2; Cardinals 5, Phillies 4; Astros 16, Twins 4. — Agencies
