Javier Baez homered in the first inning, Kris Bryant and Albert Almora Jr. also went deep, and the Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants 4-1 Wednesday after starter Jon Lester was scratched with an illness.
Baez hit his 25th homer and Bryant his 21st to help Chicago avoid a three-game sweep. The Cubs bounced back from a 5-4, 13-inning loss Tuesday night to give Maddon his 442nd win with Chicago, tying Joe McCarthy for fifth in franchise history.
Before the game the Cubs optioned Addison Russell to Triple-A Iowa about two months after he completed a 40-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy. The move made room for catcher Willson Contreras to return from the injured list.
Lester was scratched from his start due to illness. Rizzo was ejected after striking out to end the fifth, and Bryant left a few moments later because of soreness in his right knee.
Kyle Ryan (3-1), the second of six pitchers used by the Cubs, retired five batters. Craig Kimbrel allowed two singles in the ninth but got Brandon Belt to fly out for his seventh save.
Stephen Vogt doubled twice and had three hits for San Francisco. The Giants had won 17 of 20 games.
The Cubs lead in the Central was down to a half-game before tagging San Francisco starter Tyler Beede (3-4) for three home runs in the first four innings.
Baez homered in the first and then scored on Bryant's two-run blast in the third. Almora added his 10th home run in the fourth.
Beede had been unbeaten with a 1.66 ERA in three July starts but couldn't keep the streak going against the Cubs. Beede allowed four runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings and matched his career-high with seven strikeouts.
Jose Quintana (8-7, 4.42 ERA) takes a four-game winning streak into Friday's game at Milwaukee. Quintana has six wins in 13 career starts against the Brewers.
