Right-hander Javier Assad pitched seven strong innings, Cody Bellinger hit a two-run home run and the visiting Chicago Cubs defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 Friday night.

Nico Hoerner added a solo shot for the Cubs in the opener of a three-game series.

Bellinger, Hoerner and Ian Happ each had two hits for the Cubs, who are 7-3 this month.

Assad (2-2) allowed one run, four hits and one walk with two strikeouts in his third start of the season.

Brandon Belt hit a solo home run for the Blue Jays, who returned from a 5-2 road trip.

Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios (9-8) allowed six runs (four earned) and nine hits with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

The Cubs scored three runs in the first inning. Hoerner hit his ninth home run of the season with one out. Happ followed with a single and Bellinger struck his 18th home run of the season.

The Cubs took a 6-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Dansby Swanson reached base when first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. muffed shortstop Paul DeJong's throw for an error. Jeimer Candelario singled with one out and Seiya Suzuki stroked a two-run double to left. Mike Tauchman later hit a two-out RBI single.

The Blue Jays responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth on singles by Cavan Biggio and Alejandro Kirk.

Happ and Bellinger opened the fifth with singles. After Whit Merrifield made a superb catch on Swanson's drive to left for the first out, Bowden Francis replaced Berrios and retired the final two batters of the inning.

After Kirk's RBI single in the fourth, Assad retired 10 consecutive batters to complete his outing, the longest of his two-year career.

Michael Fulmer replaced Assad in the eighth and allowed Belt's 11th homer of the season.

Adbert Alzolay pitched around a walk in the ninth for the Cubs.

Toronto optioned right-hander Alek Manoah to Triple-A Buffalo on Friday and promoted right-hander Hagen Danner from Buffalo.

Danner retired one batter in the ninth on Friday in his major league debut before leaving with an injury. Jay Jackson took over.

--Field Level Media