Matthew Boyd pitches Cubs past Guardians, his former team

Matthew Boyd allowed two runs over seven strong innings against his most recent former club as the Chicago Cubs beat the visiting Cleveland Guardians 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Carson Kelly ripped a two-run double during Chicago's three-run second and finished with three RBIs.

Boyd (8-3) gave back two runs in the fourth inning, but the Cubs won for the fourth time in six games. The left-hander permitted five hits and a walk while striking out five for his sixth quality start in seven outings and his club-leading 12th in 2025.

Boyd, 34, went 2-2 with a 2.28 ERA in 11 regular-season and playoff starts for the 2024 Guardians in his return from elbow surgery.

Chicago's Brad Keller pitched around a walk in the eighth, and Daniel Palencia tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his ninth save.

Kelly highlighted the breakout second with his two-run double, and he added a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Chicago's Seiya Suzuki hit a leadoff home run in the sixth inning, and Michael Busch added three hits with an RBI.

Carlos Santana had two hits for the Guardians, who have been outscored 32-8 during a five-game losing streak. Cleveland's Gavin Williams (5-4) allowed four runs on seven hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings. He fanned two.

Williams retired the side on seven pitches in the first, but the Cubs unloaded an inning later. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Dansby Swanson and Busch opened the frame with consecutive singles, the last of the RBI variety. Then Kelly lined a Williams sweeper into the left-center-field gap to score a pair.

Chicago let Williams off the hook from further damage in the frame when Kelly was thrown out while trying to score on a potential passed ball before Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw were each picked off first base.

Cleveland got back in the game in the fourth. Santana opened with a double, and after Lane Thomas walked, scored on Nolan Jones' single. Thomas came home via Angel Martinez's sacrifice fly to right, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

Suzuki made it a two-run game when he skied a Williams pitch into the left field bleachers for his third homer in his past two games at Wrigley Field.

--Field Level Media