Swoon continues past June as Guardians fall 5-2 to Cubs

CHICAGO — New month, same disappointment. July didn't start any better than June ended for the Guardians. Matthew Boyd pitched seven sharp innings for his eighth win, Seiya Suzuki cracked his team-leading 23rd homer and the Chicago Cubs topped the sliding Guardians 5-2 on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. Carlos Santana had two hits, including his 400th career double, but Cleveland dropped its fifth straight. it went 9-16 in June with an offense that averaged fewer than three runs a game. The Guardians, who were off Monday, scored two runs in the fourth — ending a string of 17 straight scoreless innings — on Nolan Jones' RBI single and Angel Martínez's sacrifice fly. Cleveland has scored in just two of its last 45 innings. "Again it's hard to pinpoint right now," manager Stephen Vogt said. "We've had the same conversation for a few weeks. We're working. Our guys had better swings tonight. We just have to continue to work. "We're in it right now. This is when you have to get tough." Carson Kelly doubled twice with a sac fly for three RBIs. Michael Busch went 3-for-3 and drove in a run to help NL Central-leading Chicago win its 50th game. Boyd (8-3), who pitched for Cleveland last season, allowed two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and a walk. The left-hander finished by retiring 11 straight hitters before Brad Keller entered for the eighth. "Vintage Boyd. Really good," Vogt said. "We had the one inning where we got something going, outside of that it was hard to get stuff going. Does such a great job of reading swings, sequencing." Daniel Palencia struck out two in a perfect ninth for his ninth save. Cleveland's Gavin Williams (5-4) yielded four runs on seven hits and four walks. The Cubs took a 3-0 lead in a quirky second on four straight hits. Then Kelly was out at home when he tried to score from third after the ball got away from catcher Bo Naylor. Williams walked the next two hitters — Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw — but picked both off first. After Cleveland cut it to 3-2 in the fourth, Suzuki hit his solo shot to left in the sixth. Key moment It looked like Cleveland's offense finally awakened in the fourth. But Boyd picked off Jones for the second out, then got Naylor to ground out. Key stat Boyd tossed his 12th quality start in 17. He's one win short of his career high of nine, reached with Detroit in 2018 and 2019. Up next Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (4-8, 3.80 ERA) faces Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (4-2, 2.54) today.