The Cubs took the lead, scoring two in the first on a bases-loaded walk by Taijuan Walker, followed by a passed ball. They extended the lead to 3-0 in the second, but Walker was able to avoid further damage through the end of the fifth inning. The D-backs had clawed back to within one run, courtesy of David Peralta’s 11th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the fifth. Torey Lovullo tried to squeeze one more frame from Walker, but it backfired badly, as consecutive Cubs homered to lead off the sixth. Taijuan ended up allowing four earned runs on five hits and three walks.
Arizona got another long-ball from Paul Goldschmidt, his 27th, in the sixth inning, and the D-backs got the tying run on base with one out in the seventh. But T.J. McFarland’s struggles continued, as a three-run eighth inning off him gave the Cubs an easy cushion to cruise home. Elsewhere, the Brewers and Rockies lost, but the Cardinals won, to move 4.5 games back of the D-backs.