Michael Busch's Two-Run Single Puts Cubs Within Half-Game of First Place

The Chicago Cubs are heating up at Wrigley, and the Cincinnati Reds better keep looking over their shoulder. Michael Busch ripped a bases-loaded single in the first inning to spark a 6-5 win over Arizona on Friday, and the Cubs are now just half a game back in the NL Central after winning 13 of their last 16 games.

Two Three-Run Innings Sink the D-backs

Busch triggered the early onslaught with his two-run single in the first, capping a three-run frame that set the tone. Then the Cubs came right back in the fourth with three more runs off Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen (1-2), who couldn't survive 3 2/3 innings and gave up six runs on seven hits. By the fourth inning, Chicago had built a 6-1 lead and never looked back. Carson Kelly chipped in two hits, while Alex Bergman and Dansby Swanson added RBI singles in that fourth-inning barrage that put the game out of reach.

Cubs starter Colin Rea (4-1) was solid on the mound, allowing just two runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings while striking out six without a walk. Jacob Webb closed it out with his first save, making him the sixth different Cubs reliever to notch a save this season.

Vargas' Historic Streak the Only Bright Spot for Arizona

Arizona's Ildemaro Vargas had an incredible night at the plate with four hits, boosting his league-leading batting average to .404. He extended his season-opening hitting streak to 24 games with a first-inning single. His current 27-game hitting streak dating back to last September is now the longest active streak in the majors since Trea Turner's 27-game run in 2022. For Arizona history, only Luis Gonzalez's 30-game streak in 1999 tops Vargas' mark. Geraldo Perdomo made a late push with a three-run homer in the sixth that pulled the D-backs within 6-5, but Arizona managed just one baserunner over the final three innings. The loss dropped the Diamondbacks to 7 of 10 on the wrong side.

The Cubs sit at 3-1 in this weekend series opener and will look to keep the momentum rolling as they chase Cincinnati in the NL Central.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.