CHICAGO (AP) – Max Kepler homered, Jose Berrios threw six shutout innings to outduel Yu Darvish and the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago Cubs 4-0 on Sunday night.
Kepler had three hits and Josh Donaldson added two for the Twins, who took two of three from the NL Central-leading Cubs. After winning the AL Central last year, Minnesota clinched its second straight postseason berth on Saturday and trails the Chicago White Sox by two games in the division.
The Cubs scored just two runs in the series and maintain a 3 1/2-game lead over St. Louis in the NL Central. Chicago had won five of six.
Berrios (5-3) and three relievers combined to limit the Cubs to four hits. The Cubs loaded the bases in the ninth on a passed ball, a hit batter and a walk against Sergio Romo, who struck out Nico Hoerner to end the game.
Berrios struck out four and walked one to improve to 4-0 in his last six starts.
Darvish (7-3), an NL Cy Young candidate, allowed a season-high four runs and nine hits in his quest to become the NL’s first eight-game winner. He struck out nine and walked one, ending a streak of nine consecutive quality starts. Darvish was 5-2 with a 2.16 ERA in his previous eight starts at Wrigley.
Kepler chased Darvish with a two-run home run – his eighth of the season – in the seventh.
Darvish encountered trouble early, allowing three singles and a walk in the first. Eddie Rosario singled to put the Twins ahead before Darvish struck out the side.
Kepler’s groundout extended the lead to 2-0 after Jake Cave tripled to lead off the second inning.
The Twins have won three of seven.
Willson Contreras led off the fourth with a double for the Cubs and advanced on a groundout but was thrown out at home on Javier Baez’s grounder to third.
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