Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Baltimore.
11:11 JST, July 11, 2024
BALTIMORE (AP) — Shota Imanaga defeated Corbin Burnes in a matchup of All-Star pitchers, and Christopher Morel hit a home run to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-0 on Wednesday night.
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Baltimore.
Imanaga (8-2) allowed six hits in six innings, struck out six and walked one. The Orioles went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position against the left-hander.
Imanaga is the first Cubs rookie to be selected to the All-Star Game since Kris Bryant in 2015 and the first Japan-born Cub to make the team since Kosuke Fukudome in 2018.
Burnes (9-4) surrendered three runs and nine hits in six innings, walked none and struck out five. He heads to Texas next week for his fourth All-Star Game, the first with Baltimore.
The Cubs, who came to town with a 3-10-1 road record, are now in position to complete a three-game sweep of the AL East-leading Orioles on Thursday night.
Morel put Chicago up 1-0 with his 16th home run of the season in the second inning. The next two batters singled before Nico Hoerner delivered an RBI single.
Michael Busch doubled and scored on a single by Seiya Suzuki in the fifth inning for a 3-0 lead.
Baltimore put runners on second and third with one out in the sixth inning, before Imanaga completed his impressive outing by retiring Austin Hays and Jorge Mateo.
After a 19-minute rain delay in the seventh inning, Luke Little retired Adley Rutschman with two runners on base and Porter Hodge retired Ryan Mountcastle, who had a game-high three-hit streak.
