CHICAGO (Interstat) — Shota Imanaga pitched seven strong innings and the Chicago Cubs erupted for 10 runs on 12 hits Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field, defeating the Minnesota Twins 10-1 to take two of three in the weekend series.

Imanaga, who entered with a 6-8 record, scattered six hits over seven innings, struck out four and did not allow an earned run. The left-hander retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced and kept the Twins off the scoreboard until the eighth, after he had already left the game. Imanaga earned his seventh win of the season and lowered his ERA with a performance that rebounded from his previous start July 10 at Cincinnati, where he allowed one earned run in five innings but took the loss.

The Cubs broke the game open in the third inning, scoring four runs to take a 7-0 lead. After a groundout and a single by Michael Busch, Alex Bregman drew a walk, and Ian Happ walked to load the bases. Nico Hoerner then tripled down the left-field line, a line drive that was deflected by center fielder Luke Keaschall, clearing the bases and scoring Busch, Bregman and Happ. Pedro Ramírez followed with a sharp single to center that scored Hoerner, giving the Cubs a seven-run advantage.

Chicago had already built a 3-0 lead through two innings. In the first, Seiya Suzuki doubled and scored on a two-run home run by Bregman, his 10th of the season. In the second, Ramírez hit a ground-rule double and scored on a single by Carson Kelly. The Cubs added three more runs in the fourth inning, keyed by an RBI single from Busch and a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Bregman that came on an error by Twins third baseman Brooks Lee. Hoerner singled in another run later in the inning to make it 10-0.

Minnesota’s lone run came in the eighth inning. With one out, Austin Martin singled, Alex Jackson singled, and Josh Bell walked to load the bases. Royce Lewis lifted a sacrifice fly to right fielder Suzuki, allowing Martin to score. The Twins left two runners on base when Victor Caratini lined out to third baseman Bregman to end the inning.

The Twins managed eight hits in the game but grounded into two double plays and left seven runners on base. Imanaga worked efficiently, throwing 48 strikes among his total pitches, and the Cubs defense turned one double play behind him.

Cubs relievers Drew Pomeranz, Pedro Ramírez and Phil Maton each worked an inning. Pomeranz retired the side in order in the eighth. Maton allowed two hits and one earned run in the ninth but closed out the victory.

For the Cubs, Hoerner went 2-for-5 with four RBIs, including the three-run triple and a run-scoring single in the fourth. Bregman finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Ramírez added two hits and an RBI. Suzuki reached base three times on a double and two walks and scored twice.

Twins starter Zebby Matthews took the loss, falling to 4-7. Matthews allowed seven runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings. He struck out three but walked four and surrendered the pivotal third-inning outburst. Minnesota’s bullpen fared better: Travis Adams pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. Kody Funderburk struck out one in a perfect seventh, and Woo-Suk Go struck out two over a hitless eighth while allowing no runs.

The Cubs improved to 56-43 with the win, while the Twins fell to 49-51. The game drew 37,205 fans and lasted 2 hours, 46 minutes.

Minnesota took the opener of the series Friday 5-2 before the Cubs won Saturday 6-2 and routed the Twins on Sunday. The Twins head to Cleveland for a four-game series starting Monday, while the Cubs return home to host Detroit for three games beginning Monday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Minnesota Twins 7, Chicago Cubs 5. Interstat’s ELO system had given the Cubs a 62.30 percent probability to win. Chicago was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 11 went under the over/under line of 7.5.