>>Cubs Pound Marlins
Kris Bryant hit his 100th career homer, Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell connected in an eight-run third inning, and the Cubs pounded the Miami Marlins 13-4 on Wednesday.
Rizzo also had a pair of doubles and finished with five RBIs as the Cubs outscored the Marlins 31-9 in a three-game sweep after dropping a season-high five in a row. It was quite a turnaround for a team that finished with three runs or less in 10 of 11 games prior to this series.
On the third anniversary of his first career home run, Bryant hit a drive about halfway up the bleachers in left in the first inning. He followed his third homer in four games with an RBI double to deep center in the third.
Chicago poured it on from there, scoring seven more runs in the inning against Wei-Yin Chen to go up 9-0 while sending 11 batters to the plate.
Rizzo, Russell, Albert Almora and Willson Contreras each had three of Chicago's 17 hits.
Jose Quintana (4-2) returned the favor after getting hit hard in a loss at Miami on April 1. The left-hander allowed one run and five hits in six innings.
Rizzo hit a three-run homer to right in the third and added RBI doubles in the fourth and sixth. Russell led off the third with a double and scored, then capped the inning with a two-run shot .
Miguel Rojas hit a two-run homer for Miami in the seventh, and Bryan Holaday added a solo drive in the ninth.
Chen (1-2) got tagged for nine runs and seven hits over three innings in his third start back from a strained left elbow. His ERA leaped from 4.82 to 10.22.
The Cubs open a three-game series Friday against the crosstown White Sox, with RHP Tyler Chatwood (2-3, 3.31) going against RHP Carson Fulmer (2-2, 5.02).
>>Pirates Rally Past White Sox
Colin Moran hit a two-run homer that capped a four-run rally against Nate Jones in the ninth inning, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates over Chicago 6-5 on Wednesday and sending the last-place White Sox to their ninth loss in 10 games.
Chicago took a 5-2 lead into the ninth behind Reynaldo Lopez, who allowed two runs and three hits in a career-high 7 1/3 innings.
Jace Fry struck out the final two batters of the eighth, but Jones (2-1) blew a save for the second time in three chances as the White Sox lost their fifth in a row and fell to 9-25. Chicago is off to its second-worst 34-game start behind an 8-26 opening in 1948. The White Sox have the poorest home record in the major leagues at 3-15.
Starling Marte and Josh Bell singled on consecutive pitches off Jones, Corey Dickerson grounded out and Elias Diaz cut the lead to one with a two-run double on an 0-2 pitch.
Moran took a ball and then hit drive to right-center.
Richard Rodriguez (1-1) won despite allowing consecutive doubles to Jose Rondon and Welington Castillo in the eighth. Felipe Vazquez pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save in seven chances.
Jordy Mercer and Gregory Polanco hit solo home runs in the sixth for the Pirates, who had trailed 4-0. Tim Anderson and Daniel Palka hit two-run homers for the White Sox.
Pittsburgh starter Trevor Williams allowed a season-high four runs and seven hits in five innings.
Carson Fulmer (2-2, 5.02 ERA) starts Friday at Wrigley Field as the White Sox and Cubs open a weekend series.
>>White Sox Propsect Burger Re-Tears ACL, Out Another Year
Chicago White Sox third base prospect Jake Burger has torn his left Achilles tendon again and will be sidelined for an additional year.
Burger first tore the tendon Feb. 26 while running out a ground ball during an exhibition game against Oakland. White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Wednesday that the 22-year-old re-injured the tendon last week while walking in his backyard and had surgery Tuesday.
Chicago selected Burger with the 11th overall pick in last year's amateur draft from Missouri State and signed him for a $3.7 million bonus.
Yoan Moncada (left hamstring tightness) took ground balls before the game. The team is optimistic that can be activated from the 10-day DL when eligible on May 15.
