Crow-Armstrong and Swanson homer off an ineffective Senga to power Cubs past Mets 9-6

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NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a three-run homer, Dansby Swanson also went deep and drove in four and the Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 9-6 on Tuesday night despite an injury to starting pitcher Edward Cabrera.

The right-hander hurt his left leg stretching to catch a throw at first base for the final out of the fifth inning. In obvious pain, he was carted off the field with a left hamstring/adductor strain.

New York slugger Juan Soto exited in the fifth with tightness on the left side of his back. Francisco Alvarez homered and knocked in three runs for the last-place Mets, who fell to 0-4 against the Cubs this season. Bo Bichette added a two-run shot in a three-run ninth.

Coming off consecutive rainouts, Chicago scored five times in the second against Kodai Senga (0-6), ineffective again in his second start since returning from the injured list. The right-hander issued a leadoff walk and hit a batter with a pitch before walking Carson Kelly with the bases loaded to force in the first run.

Swanson had a sacrifice fly and Crow-Armstrong launched his 17th homer to right-center, extending his career-best on-base streak to 24 games dating to May 26. The star center fielder is hitting .410 with 11 homers, 20 RBIs and a 1.324 OPS during that stretch.

Riding an 11-game hitting streak, Crow-Armstrong has five homers in his last six games and six in his past eight. He was drafted 19th overall by the Mets in 2020 before they traded him to Chicago in July 2021.

Swanson, batting ninth, added a two-run shot off Senga in the fourth and an RBI double in a two-run eighth. Kelly, who scored three times, also had a run-scoring double in that inning as the Cubs got four straight hits off reliever Tobias Myers, the last three of them doubles.

Cabrera (5-4) gave up two runs, three hits and four walks over five innings in the opener of a four-game series.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell was ejected for arguing a replay reversal in the seventh.

The start was delayed 11 minutes by rain.

A day-night doubleheader between the teams Wednesday, with the first game scheduled to make up Monday night's rainout.

Javier Assad (5-1, 3.89 ERA) starts the opener for Chicago against Nolan McLean (4-4, 3.67). Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.26) faces New York lefty Sean Manaea (1-2, 4.64) in the nightcap.

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