Shota Imanaga struck out a career-high 11 in winning his fifth straight start, Dansby Swanson hit a three-run homer while tying his season high with four RBIs and Chicago Cubs defeated the Oakland Athletics 9-2 on Monday night.

Chicago (77-73) remained five games behind the New York Mets (82-68) for the final NL wild card with 12 games remaining.

Imanaga (14-3) allowed five hits over six innings, including Brent Rooker’s 38th homer, a two run-drive in the third. The 31-year-old left-hander walked three and reached 14 wins for the first time as a professional in his first year in the majors after eight previous seasons in Japan.

Rooker went deep for the second straight game and added a single as Oakland lost its third straight. The previous two were at the White Sox, who had not won back-to-back games in nearly three months.

Isaac Paredes and Miguel Amaya each had three hits and drove in two runs in an 18-hit attack. Paredes is 14 for his last 29 (.483) with seven RBIs in his last eight games.

Seiya Suzuki had three hits, among seven Cubs starters with multi-hit games.

Trey Wingenter followed Imanaga with two scoreless innings and Jack Neely worked around a pair of singles in the ninth.

Joey Estes (7-8) gave up six runs and nine hits. He was chased after the first six Cubs batters in second hit safely.

Paredes hit two-out RBI single in the first and Chicago blew open the game with a five-run second. Amaya and Ian Happ had RBI singles and Swanson followed with his 15th homer, a drive into the basket in left.

Oakland RHP Mitch Spence (7-9, 4.33) faced Chicago LHP Jordan Wicks (2-3, 5.27) on Tuesday night.