Imanaga pitches 7 scoreless innings for 6th win as Cubs defeat Twins

Chicago Cubs' Japanese left-handed pitcher Shota Imanaga delivered a stellar performance on Sunday, pitching seven scoreless innings to secure his sixth win of the season. Imanaga's masterful outing was instrumental in the Cubs' decisive 10-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins, extending the team's current winning streak to two games.

Imanaga allowed only six hits and one walk throughout his seven innings of work, effectively shutting down the Twins' offense. He navigated a key moment in the sixth inning when the Twins had runners on first and third, inducing a fly ball to end the threat. His fastball was clocked at up to 91.6 mph (147.4 km/h) during the game.

With this win, Imanaga's season ERA now stands at 3.91. Notably, in his last seven starts, he has pitched 39 innings with an average ERA of 2.31, striking out 35 batters while allowing only 9 home runs. This recent stretch contrasts with an earlier period between May 18 and June 4, where he gave up 12 home runs in 21.2 innings.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell commended Imanaga's improved ability to manage damage. "He's controlling the damage very well right now, and that's important," Counsell stated. "Shota is going to give up home runs; that's part of his pitch type. But when those home runs occur, and in what situations, that's the key. He's doing a very good job with that right now."

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He's controlling the damage very well right now, and that's important. Shota is going to give up home runs; that's part of his pitch type. But when those home runs occur, and in what situations, that's the key. He's doing a very good job with that right now.