CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs needed good mojo to close out a quick homestand as a grueling 10-game trip awaits.
They got it behind another steady outing from right-hander Kyle Hendricks and an offense that finally stepped up in a 7-1 victory against the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday at Wrigley Field. For the first time in 10 games, the Cubs scored more than three runs in a game, sparked by a four-run sixth inning.
The Cubs (41-33) split the two-game series.
The Cubs sent nine to the plate during their scoring outburst in the sixth. Joc Pederson (two-run double), Javier Báez (RBI ground-rule double) and Willson Contreras (RBI single) helped the Cubs take a 5-0 lead in the inning.
The offense didn’t rely solely on stringing together hits. Kris Bryant connected for a solo homer in the first, ending a career-high 48 at-bat extra-base-hit drought. Contreras and Patrick Wisdom hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth. Wisdom leads National League rookies with 10 home runs despite having played only 27 games, including 18 starts.
Hendricks kept the Indians in check. He threw six shutout innings for the second consecutive start. He owns a 2.37 ERA in five June starts, pitching at least six innings in all of them.
The Cubs begin their 10-game trip in Los Angeles with a four-game series versus the Dodgers beginning Thursday.
