KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Javier Baez smacked his 25th home run to lead off the sixth inning Monday night, and he added an RBI double in the eighth that enabled the Cubs to pull away to a 3-1 victory over the Royals at Kaufmann Stadium.
The game was delayed by rain for 22 minutes in the top of the fourth.
Baez's homer came on the first pitch off reliever Kevin McCarthy. Baez's homer was his sixth in his past 10 games and snapped a 1-1 tie.
In the eighth, Baez executed a hit-and-run play perfectly as he poked a pitch from former teammate Jason Hammel into right field for a double that enabled Jason Heyward to score from first base.
The Cubs tied the game on a wild pitch by Royals starter Jakob Junis with one out in the top of the fourth. After Kyle Schwarber struck out, the game was delayed.
Ben Zobrist opened the fourth with a triple down the right field line. Heyward followed with a walk before Baez struck out, setting the stage for Junis' wild pitch.
Schwarber was handling the designated hitter duties.
Left-hander Cole Hamels, making his second start for the Cubs, allowed seven hits over six innings. Hamels allowed a single to Alcides Escobar with two outs in the second to score Rosell Herrera in the second.
