Swanson belts 2 HRs, drives in 6 as Cubs rock Rockies

Dansby Swanson had two homers, a triple and a season-high six RBIs, Ian Happ and Michael Busch also went deep, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Colorado Rockies 11-7 in Denver on Friday night.

Happ and Nico Hoerner each doubled twice and Busch, Seiya Suzuki and Reese McGuire finished with two hits apiece for Chicago, which snapped a three-game skid to remain 6 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the National League Central.

Swanson’s six RBIs were one shy of his career high, set on July 31, 2021, vs. the Brewers when he was with the Atlanta Braves.

Cubs starter Cade Horton (9-4) allowed two runs on six hits over five innings. He walked two and fanned four.

Yanquiel Fernandez homered among his two hits, Kyle Farmer had a long ball, Mickey Moniak and Brenton Doyle each doubled twice and Hunter Goodman had three hits for Colorado, which lost in German Marquez’s first start since July 20.

Marquez (3-12) was activated from the 15-day injured list but lasted just 4 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs on nine hits and walking three. He didn’t strike out a batter.

Swanson hit a two-run homer in the second inning to put the Cubs ahead 2-0, and Happ led off the fourth with his 17th of the season.

Fernandez crushed his third home run of the year in the bottom of the inning, a two-run shot to center, but Chicago sent 11 men to the plate to blow it open in the fifth.

Busch and Suzuki singled around a walk to load the bases. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a sacrifice fly to center, and Happ delivered a two-run double. Hoerner walked to load the bases again and chase Marquez.

Swanson hit the first pitch from Jaden Hill for a bases-clearing triple off the wall in right-center field to make it 8-2, and he scored on Matt Shaw’s single.

Colorado sliced a run off the deficit on Orlando Arcia’s RBI double in the sixth.

Swanson hit his second homer of the game and 21st of the season leading off the seventh, and Busch went deep two outs later to make it 11-3, his 26th.

The Rockies got those runs back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Doyle and a sacrifice fly from Kyle Karros. Farmer hit a two-run blast in the eighth inning, his seventh of the year.