PHOENIX (AP) — Javier Baez and Daniel Murphy each hit a two-run homer as the Chicago Cubs jumped out to a big early lead Tuesday night on their way to a 9-1 win over the fading Arizona Diamondbacks.
With its fifth victory in six games, Chicago increased its NL Central lead to 3 1/2 games over the Milwaukee Brewers, who lost at home to last-place Cincinnati.
Mike Montgomery (5-5) allowed a run and four hits with a season-high eight strikeouts in six innings for his first win since Aug. 7.
The slumping Diamondbacks dropped six games behind the first-place Dodgers in the NL West and six back of St. Louis for the second wild card. They have lost four in a row and nine of 11.
The Cubs built a 5-0 lead after their first two turns at bat.
In the first inning, Baez drove a 2-0 pitch onto the pool deck in right-center for his second homer in two nights. Baez’s 33rd home run gave him 107 RBIs this season.
Just before Baez connected, Anthony Rizzo lined out to end a 17-pitch at-bat.
Ian Happ drove in Jason Heyward with a second-inning double before Murphy, who scored three times, hit his 11th home run of the season.
Rizzo added a two-run single in a four-run fifth.