Suzuki and Busch hit consecutive home runs, lead Cubs over Diamondbacks 6-2

CHICAGO (AP) — Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch hit consecutive home runs in a four-run second-inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2 on Saturday.

A day after a wild 13-11 win, Kyle Tucker tripled and drove in two runs along with Suzuki and Busch, Dansby Swanson added two hits for the NL Central leader, including a double.

Corbin Carroll had three hits, including his seventh homer, and has reached base in 27 straight games dating to Sept. 23. Tim Tawa added a solo drive as Arizona lost its second straight following a five-game winning streak.

Carroll homered in the first but Chicago took a 2-1 lead in the bottom half and added four runs in the second as Suzuki and Busch both homered on fastballs from Zac Gallen (1-3). Suzuki's two-run drive put the Cubs ahead 5-1.

Caleb Thielbar (1-0), the first of three Cubs relievers, threw two perfect innings. Chicago's bullpen retired 14 straight hitters before Tawa connected and Carroll drew a walk off Daniel Palencia with two outs in the ninth. Arizona had just four hits.

Chicago starter Ben Brown allowed one run, three his and four walks in four innings.

Gallen allowed six runs and seven hits in six innings, retiring 12 of his final 13 hitters. His ERA rose to 5.60.

Suzuki and Busch went deep back-to-back off Gallen with two outs in the second for a 6-1 lead. Tucker and Suzuki hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning Friday.

Chicago leads the major leagues with 143 runs through 23 games.

Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (3-1, 5.57 ERA) faces Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (1-1, 5.40) on Sunday.

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Chicago Cubs pitcher Caleb Thielbar throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Juan Morillo points skyward as he returns to the dugout during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Fans stack cups during the fifth inning of a baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Juan Morillo high-fives teammates in the dugout during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Juan Morillo throws against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch runs the bases after hitting a home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Kyle Tucker celebrates after scoring on a single from Michael Busch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Justin Turner, right, celebrates with designated hitter Seiya Suzuki (27) after Suzuki hit a two-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson (7), left, and Ian Happ (8) celebrate their team's win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in a baseball game Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

The first five games of the Winnipeg-St. Louis series have all had the same result. The home team won.

The Blues need that trend to continue Friday — or else.

Game 6 of the Jets-Blues matchup awaits in St. Louis, with Winnipeg — the NHL's best team in the regular season — holding a 3-2 series lead. The Blues rolled to wins on their home ice in Games 3 and 4, taking those games by scores of 7-2 and 5-1 to extend a run of invincibility there that has lasted for more than two months.

“It's a tough building to play in,” Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov said. “But I know we can get the win there.”

If they do, they will be doing so without star Mark Scheifele, the team's second-leading scorer and leader in game-winning goals this season. Scheifele was hurt in Game 5 and wasn't flying with Winnipeg to St. Louis on Thursday for Game 6.

The teams had different opinions about when Scheifele got hurt, but the bottom line is the Jets will be missing a big part of their team for a potential closeout game.

“Certainly, not having him is going to be huge,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said Thursday. “But at the end of the day, last night, our three centermen had to step up and play big minutes and did a great job. ... So proud of the group, how everybody stepped up. It's kind of what our team has done all year. Guys go down, other guys step in.”

Winnipeg was the most recent visiting team to win in St. Louis — but that was more than two months ago.

The Blues have put together the longest home winning streak in the NHL this season, a 14-game run that started on Feb. 23 and hasn't stopped. St. Louis has outscored opponents 69-25 in that span at home, winning by an average of a whopping 3.14 goals per game.

“We've played some good hockey at home for a couple months now,” St. Louis' Brayden Schenn said. “We're comfortable there.”

That's a bit of an understatement. The Blues have simply looked like a different team in their own building; St. Louis has had stretches of three goals in five minutes, three goals in eight minutes and three goals in 15 minutes so far in this series on its own ice.

They looked nothing like that club in Game 5, a 5-3 Winnipeg win that probably wasn't as close as that score would make it seem. Blues coach Jim Montgomery didn't waste any time thinking about that game once the final horn sounded.

“We can analyze every part of it. They were better,” Montgomery said. “So, we're on to the next one.”

It took St. Louis a long — long — time to get home on Thursday, after their travel plans were seriously delayed.

The Blues had plane issues trying to leave Winnipeg and, after a replacement jet was sent to Manitoba, they finally took off about eight hours behind schedule.

The Jets landed in St. Louis around 3 p.m. Central time on Thursday, actually a tiny bit ahead of schedule, while the Blues didn't get there until about 9 p.m.

When/Where to Watch: Game 6, Friday. 8 p.m. (TNT/truTV/Max)

Series: Jets lead 3-2

Winnipeg hasn't closed out a series with a road win since 2018, and getting it done Friday will be difficult.

Forget St. Louis' 14-game home winning streak, which is impressive enough. The Blues simply don't give up scoring chances in their building; they have allowed two goals or less in 11 of those 14 wins, and that level of stinginess puts enormous pressure on the other team's netminder.

That said, Winnipeg goalie and MVP hopeful Connor Hellebuyck has reveled in big moments like this all season.

The newly announced Hart Trophy finalist — alongside Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl and Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov — led the NHL with 47 wins, a 2.00 GAA, and a .925 save percentage this season, had eight shutouts, steered Winnipeg to its first Presidents’ Trophy, won the William M. Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed) for the second straight year and seems like a lock for the Vezina Trophy (top goalie) for the second straight year and third time in six seasons.

If Hellebuyck does win the Hart as MVP, he'd be the fourth goalie in the league's expansion era to do it alongside Dominik Hasek, José Théodore and Carey Price. He was pulled twice in St. Louis and has a gaudy 3.96 goals-against average and .822 save percentage in this series — including all three wins.

“He's our best player,” Namestnikov said.

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St. Louis Blues' Brayden Schenn (10) celebrates with Colton Parayko (55) after scoring against the Winnipeg Jets during the second period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Sunday, April 27, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Connor Hamilton)

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) saves the shot from Winnipeg Jets' Jaret Anderson-Dolan (28) during first period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets' Dylan DeMelo (2), Vladislav Namestnikov (7), Gabriel Vilardi (13) and Kyle Connor (81) celebrate DeMelo's goal against the St. Louis Blues during second period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

St. Louis Blues head coach Jim Montgomery questions referee Kelly Sutherland during first period NHL playoff action against the Winnipeg Jets in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) makes the save off Winnipeg Jets' Gabriel Vilardi's (13) wraparound attempt during the third period of an NHL playoff game in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues players rough it up after the Blues score during the third period of an NHL playoff game in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)