Crow-Armstrong homers twice as Cubs top Twins 8-1 to deny series sweep

MINNEAPOLIS AP Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two home runs for his fifth multi-homer encounter this season powering the Chicago Cubs past the Minnesota Twins - on Thursday Crow-Armstrong whose first-half breakout earned him a starting spot for the National League All-Star unit went for with three runs and three RBIs to help the Cubs avoid a three-game sweep Colin Rea - won his third straight start with a three-hitter over a season-high seven innings and Minnesota native Michael Busch added two RBIs Rea allowed only a fifth-inning home run by Kody Clemens as the -year-old right-hander turned in his longest start since seven shutout innings for Milwaukee last Aug Dansby Swanson doubled and scored on Nico Hoerner s single in the second inning to give the Cubs their first lead of the series and they kept hacking for all five innings against Twins starter Chris Paddack - Paddack who considers Rea a mentor dating to their time together with San Diego for his advice on recovery from Tommy John elbow surgery gave up hits and six runs He is - in his last starts with the Twins winning three Key moment Crow-Armstrong hit a two-out two-run homer in the third inning a -foot blast that was a limited inches too high for center fielder Harrison Bader to catch as he jumped at the wall Key stat Crow-Armstrong led off the seventh against Anthony Misiewicz with a solo shot to tie teammate Seiya Suzuki for sixth in MLB with homers Up next The Cubs expedition to New York for a three-game series against the Yankees starting Friday Neither unit had communicated their starter The Twins host Pittsburgh for a three-game series starting Friday when RH Paul Skenes - ERA takes the mound for the Pirates opposite RH Joe Ryan - ERA in a matchup of All-Star starting pitchers AP MLB https apnews com hub MLB Source