Kelly homers twice, Tucker hits go ahead shot as Cubs outslug Diamondbacks 13-11

CHICAGO (AP) — Carson Kelly homered twice, Kyle Tucker hit a go-ahead two-run homer in a six-run eighth inning, and the Chicago Cubs outslugged the Arizona Diamondbacks 13-11 on Friday.

Ian Happ hit a grand slam. Seiya Suzuki went deep and the Cubs pulled out a wild win after Arizona scored 10 runs in the eighth.

Chicago was sailing along with a 7-1 lead thanks to Kelly’s two-run drive against Diamondbacks starter Corbin Burnes in the second and Happ’s grand slam off Ryne Nelson in a five-run seventh. But just when it looked as if the Cubs were on their way to a lopsided win, things took a wild turn.

Eugenio Suárez cut it to 7-5 in the eighth with a grand slam against Porter Hodge. Randal Grichuk gave Arizona an 8-7 lead when his chopper scooted under third baseman Gage Workman’s glove for a two-run double. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added a three-run drive, making it 11-7, but the Cubs answered in a big way in the bottom half.

Bryce Jarvis hit Nico Hoerner leading off and walked Pete Crow-Armstrong before Kelly drove a three-run homer to center. After Happ singled with one out, Tucker and Suzuki hit back-to-back drives against Joe Mantiply to give the Cubs a 13-11 lead.

Ryan Pressly (2-1) recorded the final three outs, and the Cubs opened the weekend series on a winning note. Arizona had won five straight.

Chicago’s Colin Rea went a season-high 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run and five hits. The 34-year-year-old right-hander struck out five and walked none in his second start and fifth appearance. The Cubs moved him to the rotation following ace Justin Steele’s season-ending elbow injury.

Burnes allowed two runs and six hits over six innings. The 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner struck out three and did not walk a batter.

The drives by Kelly, Tucker and Suzuki were just enough to lift the Cubs.

The two teams combined for seven homers.

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Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell walks to the mound to make a pitching change during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno (14) celebrates after scoring on a single from Corbin Carroll during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch (29), right, slides safely past Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez (28) during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch, right, is tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (14) during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Kyle Tucker (30) hits a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki (27) is tagged out at first by Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor (22) in a double play during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) throws against the Chicago Cubs, during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) hits a double during the second inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Carson Kelly (15) hits a two-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Carson Kelly (15) runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ runs the bases after hitting a grand slam during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ, right, high-fives Nico Hoerner after hitting a grand slam during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — James Harden had 28 points and eight assists in an outstanding bounce-back performance, Kawhi Leonard added 27 points and the Los Angeles Clippers forced a seventh game in their first-round NBA playoff series with a 111-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 on Thursday night.

Norman Powell scored 24 points for the Clippers, who rebounded from back-to-back losses with an impressive effort at new Intuit Dome. Los Angeles took control in the second half while playing tenacious defense on Nikola Jokic, who scored 20 of his 25 points in the first half.

“I give our guys credit for just staying with it,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “(They) don’t get deflated, and we did a good job. ... I told the guys after the game, it’s about being a team and whatever it takes to win. Those guys totally understood it.”

Game 7 is Saturday in Denver.

Jamal Murray scored 21 points for the Nuggets, who lost a potential series-clinching playoff game for the fourth time in five tries over the past two seasons since their 2023 championship run. Denver also blew a 3-2 series lead over Minnesota in the second round last season.

The Nuggets haven’t won a Game 7 since 2020, when they ousted the Clippers from the conference semifinals in the Florida bubble.

The Clippers were pushed to this comeback win by the 35-year-old Harden, who played aggressively and craftily after receiving criticism for a passive effort in Game 5. Leonard also stepped up, with the two-time NBA champion adding 10 rebounds and five assists in an assertive outing.

“It was win or go home, so there were opportunities to be aggressive, and I took them,” Harden said. “One more game. ... We didn't want to go home. We've got one more game left.”

Ivica Zubac and Nicolas Batum teamed up for a surprisingly effective defensive effort on the typically unguardable Jokic. The three-time MVP was held scoreless for 11 minutes in the third quarter and went only 2 for 9 in the second half.

Los Angeles led by 15 with less than six minutes to play, but Denver made an 11-2 run to trim the Clippers’ lead to 107-101 before Powell buried a 3-pointer with 1:47 left.

Powell’s clutch bucket was Los Angeles’ only field goal in the final 5:57, but the Clips hung on with defense. Russell Westbrook missed a layup under pressure and had another layup blocked on consecutive possessions in the final minutes, and Zubac blocked a layup attempt by Jokic with 24 seconds left.

After falling into a 2-1 series hole and then blowing a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 4, the Nuggets still won at Intuit Dome five days ago on Aaron Gordon’s incredible dunk at the buzzer. Denver rode that momentum to a comfortable win in Game 5 with 43 points from Murray.

After the Clippers folded down the stretch Tuesday, Lue took the rare step of checking in with his players by phone on their off day, saying he “took a lot of temperatures” to make sure they were mentally ready to fight for their playoff lives.

The Clippers team that stormed into the playoffs with eight straight wins and 18 in 21 answered Lue's calls in Game 6.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, second from left, shoots as Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, left, and guard Kris Dunn defend during the first half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, right, shoots as Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn, left, and center Ivica Zubac defend during the first half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, drives against Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the first half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, and Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac reach for a rebound during the first half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray defends during the first half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)