Christian Walker homers twice as Astros top Cubs

Christian Walker homered twice and Kai-Wei Teng threw six shutout innings to lead the visiting Houston Astros to a 3-0 win against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday afternoon in the second game of their three-game series.

Walker also singled for the Astros, who have won three of four.

Teng (3-3) allowed just two hits, struck out six and walked three in the longest outing of his three-year MLB career.

Steven Okert pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Enyel De Los Santos did the same in the eighth and Bryan King pitched the ninth for his sixth save.

The Cubs have lost seven in a row, their longest skid since dropping nine straight from July 7-16, 2022, and have combined for two runs in their past three games.

Chicago right-hander Colin Rea (4-3) went a season-high seven innings, allowing three runs and four hits, striking out four and walking three.

After a high drive by Houston third baseman Isaac Paredes was knocked down by the wind blowing in from left in the first inning, Yordan Alvarez drew a one-out walk, bringing up Walker, who pulled a line drive into the wind and it cleared the left field fence for a two-run homer, giving the Astros an early 2-0 lead.

Walker came up for the second time to lead off the fourth and again lined a two-strike sinker to left. The ball banked off a fan in the front row and came back onto the field for a solo home run and a 3-0 lead.

Teng walked the lead-off batter for the second straight inning in the third, but he was erased for the second straight inning on a double play grounder.

Teng then gave up his only two base hits when Dansby Swanson hit a high pop-up that second baseman Braden Shewmake lost in the sun, and Pete Crow-Armstrong singled down the first-base line.

Crow-Armstrong was thrown out trying to steal, however, ending the inning with No. 2 hitter Alex Bregman at the plate.

Alvarez left the game in the sixth with back spasms. Zach Dezenzo replaced him with an 0-2 count and struck out on the next pitch.