Imanaga struck out 11 and Swanson hit 4 RBIs to lead the Cubs to victory over the A’s. Originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

Shota Imanaga recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts in his fifth consecutive win, Dansby Swanson hit a three-run home run and tied his season high with four RBIs, and the Chicago Cubs defeated the Oakland Athletics 9-2 on Monday night.

Chicago (77-73) was five games behind the New York Mets (82-68) with twelve games remaining and thus secured the last NL wild card.

Imanaga (14-3) allowed five hits in six innings, including Brent Rooker’s 38th home run, a two-run drive in the third. The 31-year-old left-hander had three walks and reached 14 wins for the first time as a professional in his first year in the major leagues after eight previous seasons in Japan.

“He’s a rookie and he’s really talented and good,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said. “I hope he can do more things.”

Imanaga entered Monday with 166 1/3 innings this season, surpassing his goal of throwing at least 162 in 2024.

“Honestly, I don’t really care about the number of wins I have,” Imanaga said through an interpreter. “I think it’s more important to help the team win.”

Imanaga made 11 of his 22 misses on split-finger fastballs.

“That pitch was super effective,” Counsell said. “We thought they were going to be aggressive on the fastball, so the split turned out to be a really good pitch tonight.”

Rooker hit a home run for the second straight game and singled to give Oakland its third straight loss. The previous two games were against the White Sox, who hadn’t won two games in a row in nearly three months.

Isaac Paredes and Miguel Amaya each had three hits and scored two runs in an 18-hit attack. Paredes has 14 hits (.483) in his last 29 games and seven RBIs in his last eight games.

Seiya Suzuki was one of seven Cubs starters with multi-hit games and had three hits.

Trey Wingenter followed Imanaga with two scoreless innings and Jack Neely managed a pair of singles in the ninth inning.

Joey Estes (7-8) allowed six runs and nine hits. He was chased by the first six Cubs batters in the second hit safely.

“Not good,” Estes said. “I allowed a three-run home run, which was probably my fault, but everything else was cheap hits, I just found that gap. I just couldn’t get an out in that inning.”

“Personally, I felt like I was unlucky. I had two strikes. I threw a good pitch and they hit it with the butt of the bat, which resulted in a blooper or a soft-hit ball through the hole.”

Paredes hit a two-out RBI single in the first inning and Chicago won the game with a five-run second inning. Amaya and Ian Happ had RBI singles and Swanson followed with his 15th home run, a drive to the basket in left.

“We scored a lot right from the start,” Swanson said. “We kind of kept the momentum going on offense.”

TRAINING ROOM

Athletics: OF Lawrence Butler was taken out of the starting lineup but was available as a backup. … RHP Ross Stripling (lower back strain) will throw a bullpen session Wednesday, but manager Mark Kotsay said he’s “not necessarily close to returning.” … RHP Austin Adams (right forearm tendinitis) is awaiting further evaluation. … RHP Osvaldo Bido (right wrist flexor tendonitis) is with the A’s but has not started catching.

Cubs: LHP Justin Steele (left elbow tendinitis) is progressing after a bullpen session Saturday and threw a “light touch and feel” pitch from the mound Monday, manager Craig Counsell said. Counsell added Steele could return to pitch this season.

Next

Oakland RHP Mitch Spence (7-9, 4.33) faced Chicago LHP Jordan Wicks (2-3, 5.27) on Tuesday night.

Click here to follow the Cubs Talk Podcast.