Sudden impact: Crow-Armstrong HR lifts Cubs
CHICAGO — Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a tiebreaking two-run homer for his first major league hit, and the Chicago Cubs swept the Houston Astros with a 3-1 victory on Thursday.
Houston has lost a season-high five straight and eight of nine overall. At 7-19, it is off to its worst 26-game start since it was 6-20 in 1969.
First-year manager Joe Espada was ejected by plate umpire Jansen Visconti in the top of the ninth.
“I just did not agree with his strike zone all day,” Espada said after his first ejection as a big league manager.
Crow-Armstrong was recalled from Triple-A Iowa when Cody Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with two fractured ribs. The 22-year-old outfielder, who is considered one of the team’s top prospects, made his big league debut last year and went 0 for 14 while appearing in 13 games.
He picked a perfect time for his first major league hit.
Houston had a 1-0 lead before Dansby Swanson scampered home on a fielder’s choice grounder for Miguel Amaya in the sixth.
Espada then replaced Rafael Montero (0-1) with Bryan Abreu, who threw a wild pitch with Crow-Armstrong trying to sacrifice Amaya to second. Crow-Armstrong then drove his next pitch deep to right, delighting the crowd of 29,876 at Wrigley Field.
“It felt good to get it out of the way and it came at a great moment,” said Crow-Armstrong, who was mobbed by teammates when he returned to the dugout. “That was by far the best part — getting to embrace the people who’ve been in my corner.”
Nico Hoerner had three hits and Mike Tauchman had a hit and three walks as Chicago won for the fourth time in five games. Hayden Wesneski (2-0) pitched 2⅓ perfect innings for the win in relief of Javier Assad.
Hector Neris worked the ninth for his third save in four chances. He walked Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker before retiring three straight batters.
Houston finished with four hits and went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. It scored a total of six runs in the three-game series.
Astros right-hander Justin Verlander pitched 4⅓ scoreless innings in his second start since he missed the beginning of the season because of shoulder inflammation. The three-time Cy Young Award winner allowed three hits, struck out seven and walked four.
“It’s a little gut check here,” Verlander said of the team’s poor start. “We’ve just got to fight.”
Alex Bregman singled twice against Assad to reach 1,000 career hits.
Assad permitted one run in 5⅔ innings. He struck out five and walked one.
“He is showing us hitters don’t like his stuff,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “They’re having trouble with it.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: The club plans to activate Framber Valdez (elbow) from the 15-day injured list and start him Sunday in the second of a two-game series against Colorado in Mexico City.
UP NEXT
Astros: Ronel Blanco (2-0, 1.33 ERA) faces fellow RHP Cal Quantrill (0-2, 4.33 ERA) in Mexico City on Saturday.
Cubs: LHP Shota Imanaga (3-0, 0.84 ERA) starts Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at Boston. RHP Kutter Crawford (1-0, 0.66 ERA) takes the mound for the Red Sox.
TORONTO — Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez was back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, two days after the third baseman left in the third inning because of a mild right ankle sprain.
The six-time All-Star was injured when he stumbled and fell while crossing first base on an infield single. Ramirez went down after being struck in the back by a throw from Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt.
Ramirez was batting third Sunday against right-hander Bowden Francis.
Ramírez sat out Saturday when Cleveland beat Toronto 5-3. He went 2 for 2 before departing Friday, boosting his average to .274. He has five home runs and 15 RBIs in 31 games.
In last Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Minnesota, Ramirez became the first primary third baseman to reach 250 homers and 250 stolen bases.
The Miami Marlins activated catcher Nick Fortes from the 10-day injured list Sunday morning. To make room for him on the active roster, starting second baseman Otto Lopez was placed on the 10-day injured list.
Fortes, the Marlins’ Opening Day catcher, posted six hits in 20 at-bats with two doubles, one triple and one RBI in seven appearances before going on the IL on April 10 with an injured left oblique muscle. The 28-year-old missed 20 games as the Marlins went 7-13 without him. To prepare for Sunday’s return, he rehabbed for two games at Triple-A Jacksonville and went 0-for-6.
Fortes figures to split time with 23-year-old rookie catcher Agustin Ramirez, who has delivered a .256/.293/.615 slash line with three homers and five RBIs in 10 games during his first stint in the bigs.
The 26-year-old Lopez hits the injured list, retroactive to Saturday, with a sprained right ankle. Lopez started the season hot with a .400 average to go with two homers, six RBIs and one stolen base during five games in March. Since then, he has batted .191 (17-for-89) with no homers, five RBIs and two steals.
Rookie Javier Sanoja, 22, has filled Lopez’s spot at second base the last two games and provided two doubles, two runs and one RBI in seven at-bats.
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