The Chicago Cubs on Friday passed out bobbleheads of Willson Conteras and then watched him perform like an action figure.
Contreras hit two homers and drove in a career-high seven runs, as the Cubs pounded the crosstown White Sox 11-2.
Kris Bryant also stayed hot, hitting his fourth homer in five games, but the afternoon belonged to Contreras.
Photo: AP
He capped a five-run first against Carson Fulmer with his second career grand slam. He doubled in the fourth, hit a solo homer in the sixth and added a two-run double in the seventh, giving him three doubles, two triples and two homers in his past 10 at-bats.
“I just think it was a matter of time,” manager Joe Maddon said.
Did the bobblehead have anything to do with it?
“That’s absolutely correct,” Maddon joked. “It had everything to do with the bobblehead.”
Either way, Contreras has never experienced a stretch like this.
With their sixth straight loss, the White Sox matched the 1948 team for the worst 35-game start in franchise history at 9-26.
Fulmer (2-3) lasted one-and-two-third innings after getting knocked out early in a loss to Minnesota last week. The right-hander gave up five runs and three hits while walking four.
In his past two starts, Fulmer has allowed 10 runs and 10 hits, and walked six in five-and-a-third innings.
Manager Rick Renteria seemed noncommittal about his future in the rotation, saying it would be “premature to tell you he’s out.”
REDS 6, DODGERS 2
Matt Harvey on Friday toed the rubber against Chase Utley and fell behind 3-0 facing his first batter in his Reds debut.
His next pitch was a 146kph strike and then he got Utley to fly out to left for his first out in his first start since April 19.
From there, Harvey tossed four innings of one-hit ball and Cincinnati defeated the scuffling Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2, extending their winning streak to four games.
“Everybody was saying we haven’t lost since they traded for me,” Harvey said. “I had to go out there and keep that going for everybody.”
Harvey struck out two and walked none in a 55-pitch outing that was cut short because of his lack of recent competition.
Harvey is seeking to revive his career after going 9-19 over the past three seasons with the New York Mets.
The team cut him last weekend and the last-place Reds acquired him on Tuesday for catcher Devin Mesoraco and cash, after Harvey declined a demotion to the minors.
Scooter Gennett was the Reds’ big bopper for the second straight night. He went 4-5, drove in three runs and scored twice.
The Dodgers fell to 8-11 at home and got no help from Kenta Maeda (2-3), who has not won in nearly a month.
“Right now we are just not in sync,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “When you are mired in a situation like this, then guys collectively try and do a little too much.”
BLUE JAYS 5, RED SOX 3
Luke Maile on Friday made up for “the dumbest play” of his career with the biggest home run he has ever hit.
Maile hit two homers, including a two-run shot in the 12th that gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 5-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
Maile’s drive off Boston’s Brian Johnson (1-2) improved the Blue Jays to 5-0 in extra innings after they overcame a superb outing by Red Sox starter Chris Sale.
Asked where the game-winning homer ranked among his career highlights, Maile said it was “probably No. 1.”
Maile also hit a game-tying homer off Sale in the seventh. It was the first multi-homer game of his career.
Maile, who came in without a home run since May 31 last year, redeemed himself for a throwing error that led to the Red Sox taking a 3-2 lead in the fourth.
Brock Holt reached on a two-out fielder’s choice and scored from first base after Maile could not hold a third strike against Sandy Leon, then threw high to first base.
“That obviously felt terrible,” Maile said. “That was the dumbest play of my entire career.”
Sale matched his career high by striking out 15 over nine innings. The left-hander allowed three runs and six hits, and walked none.
In Friday’s other games, it was:
‧ Athletics 10, Yankees 5
‧ Mets 3, Phillies 1
‧ Pirates 11, Giants 2
‧ Orioles 9, Rays 4
‧ Marlins 6, Braves 3
‧ Royals 10, Indians 9
‧ Rangers 1, Astros 0
‧ Brewers 11, Rockies 10
‧ Nationals 3, Diamondbacks 1
‧ Twins 5, Angels 4
‧ Cardinals 9, Padres 5
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