DENVER (Interstat) — Edward Cabrera pitched 5.1 strong innings and Seiya Suzuki hit a grand slam as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Colorado Rockies 9-3 on Thursday afternoon at Coors Field. The Cubs scored four runs in the fourth inning, two in the fifth, two in the seventh and one in the eighth. Suzuki’s grand slam in the fourth gave the Cubs an early lead. Alex Bregman added a two-run homer in the seventh. Cabrera allowed two earned runs on five hits while striking out five to improve to 4-3. Ryan Feltner took the loss, falling to 2-2. Brett Sullivan homered twice for the Rockies, driving in two runs. Cole Carrigg also homered. The Cubs had 10 hits to Colorado’s 12. The win improved Chicago to 35-34, while Colorado dropped to 26-43. The game lasted 2 hours, 50 minutes before a crowd of 35,128.

DENVER (Interstat) — Edward Cabrera pitched into the sixth inning and Seiya Suzuki hit a grand slam in a four-run fourth inning as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Colorado Rockies 9-3 on Thursday afternoon at Coors Field. The Cubs, who had lost the first two games of the three-game series, avoided a sweep and improved to 35-34. The Rockies fell to 26-43. Chicago broke open a 1-1 game in the fourth inning. Pete Crow-Armstrong led off with a single, and after Alex Bregman popped out, Michael Busch singled to put runners at the corners. Ian Happ walked to load the bases, and Suzuki launched a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall for his 10th home run of the season, scoring Crow-Armstrong, Busch and Happ. The Cubs added two more runs in the fifth. Dansby Swanson walked to start the inning, Crow-Armstrong grounded out but Bregman walked, and Busch lined a single to right field that scored Swanson. Bregman moved to third on the hit and scored on a sacrifice fly by Happ. Colorado had taken a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Brett Sullivan hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot to right field off Cabrera. The Rockies answered the Cubs’ grand slam with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Troy Johnston singled, and Cole Carrigg followed with his first home run of the year, a solo blast to right that cut the Cubs’ lead to 4-2. The Cubs stretched the lead again in the seventh. Crow-Armstrong hit a one-out double, and Bregman followed with his sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field that made it 6-2. In the eighth, Carson Kelly hit a solo homer, his third of the season, to push the lead to 7-2. The Rockies loaded the bases in the sixth but failed to score. With one out, TJ Rumfield walked, Johnston doubled and Carrigg singled to load the bases, but Kyle Karros flied out and Ezequiel Tovar struck out to end the threat. Colorado scored once more in the ninth when Sullivan hit his second home run of the game, a solo shot to right field, his third of the season. But Willi Castro singled and Rumfield doubled, putting the tying run at the plate, before Hunter Goodman struck out to end the game. Cabrera earned his fourth win against three losses. He allowed two runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking two. The Cubs bullpen combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings, with several relievers keeping the Rockies at bay. Ryan Feltner took the loss, now 2-2. He lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on four hits, with three strikeouts and one walk. Blas Castaño pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out two. Sammy Peralta worked two innings, surrendering one run on one hit with three strikeouts. For the Rockies, Johnston went 3 for 4 with a double. Castro was 2 for 5. Carrigg finished 2 for 4 with a home run and an RBI. Edouard Julien was 1 for 5. Rumfield went 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. Goodman went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts. Sullivan was 2 for 4 with two home runs and two RBIs. For the Cubs, Suzuki drove in four runs with the grand slam. Bregman had two hits, including a home run, and two RBIs. Busch had two hits and an RBI. Kelly had two hits, including the home run. Crow-Armstrong scored twice and had a double. Happ scored once and drove in a run. The game drew 35,128 fans at Coors Field and lasted 2 hours, 50 minutes. The Cubs now travel to San Francisco for a three-game series against the Giants starting Friday. The Rockies head to Oakland for a three-game set against the Athletics beginning Friday. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Colorado Rockies 4, Chicago Cubs 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected the Cubs with a 68.40 percent probability to win. The Cubs had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 12 went under the over-under line of 11.5.

AP Sports Preview: Cubs at Rockies DENVER (Interstat) — The Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies play the second game of their three-game series Thursday afternoon at Coors Field. First pitch is at 3:10 p.m. EDT, with clear skies and a game-time temperature of 86 degrees. Chicago (34-33) enters having lost three of its last four, including Tuesday night’s 7-3 defeat to the Rockies in the series opener. The Cubs are 1-4 in their last five road games. Colorado (25-42) snapped a five-game losing streak with Tuesday’s win. The Rockies are 13-20 at home. Pitching matchup The Cubs have a decision to make on their starter. Right-hander Edward Cabrera (3-3) and right-hander Ryan Feltner (2-1) are listed as probable pitchers. Both have struggled with consistency. Cabrera has a 4.50 ERA over his last three starts. Feltner has allowed three earned runs in each of his past two outings. The Rockies will counter with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (4-1), who earned the win Tuesday against Chicago. He allowed three runs on six hits over five innings. Sugano has won his last two starts. Players to watch Cubs left-handed reliever Ryan Rolison has been a bright spot out of the bullpen. Over his last 10 appearances, Rolison has not allowed an earned run in 11 2/3 innings, striking out 12. He faced one batter Tuesday and recorded a strikeout. Colorado designated hitter Edouard Julien drove in three runs Tuesday and is hitting .312 in his last 10 games. Catcher Hunter Goodman hit a two-run home run in the series opener. Head to head The Cubs have lost three straight to the Rockies and are 3-7 in their last 10 meetings at Coors Field. Betting line The Cubs are -1.5 favorites on the run line. The over/under is 11.5. The Interstat game simulator projects a 4-3 Rockies win. Up next The series finale is Thursday afternoon at Coors Field. Chicago travels to San Francisco for a weekend series starting Friday. Colorado heads to for a three-game set beginning Friday.