For the first time in more than 100 years, the Chicago Cubs stole eight bases in a game as they ran wild Monday night in an 18-8 victory over the Pirates in Pittsburgh.

The Cubs last had eight steals in 1913.

Rookie center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong led the way with three stolen bases. That raised his season total to 26 in 93 games. Crow-Armstrong has only been caught once this year.

“I think we’ve done a good job all year of going into it with the mindset of being aggressive on the bases,” Crow-Armstrong said. “Against these guys, we’ve had a pretty good plan and you saw it today because guys were very aggressive.”

Ian Happ added two steals and Nico Hoerner, Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki had one each. All eight steals came in eight attempts against catcher Yasmani Grandal. Pirates starter Mitch Keller was on the mound for seven steals during his four innings.

Chicago entered the game eighth in the major leagues in stolen bases with 112.

The Cubs led 11-2 after six innings.

“There wasn’t a lot that went right tonight, so I don’t know if I would highlight the stolen bases as being the issue,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “But, yeah, we’ve got to do a better job of holding runners.”

The Cubs are 15-8 since July 31.

Traveling Tonkin

The Minnesota Twins claimed well-traveled relief pitcher Michael Tonkin off waivers from the New York Yankees, attempting to boost a taxed bullpen by bringing back the 34-year-old for a second stint this season.

This is the fifth time Tonkin has switched teams in the last nine months, having signed with the New York Mets to start the season. He was then traded to the Twins, went back on waivers to the Mets, moved across town through waivers to the Yankees, and now back with the Twins again.

Tonkin has a 4.23 ERA in 291 1/3 career innings, all in relief.

Tonkin was drafted by the Twins and made his debut with them in 2013, pitching five years for the team before moving to the Japan Pacific League in 2018. The right-hander was out of the major leagues for five seasons until returning in 2023 and logging 80 innings for the Atlanta Braves.

Top prospect debuts

Dylan Crews drove past the Washington Monument and the memorials on the National Mall on the way to his first day of work as a major league player.

The Washington Nationals hope Crews will become the newest attraction in the nation’s capital.

The 22-year-old Crews, the No. 3-ranked prospect in baseball, was recalled by the Nationals on Monday and made his major league debut against the New York Yankees.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Crews said hours before the game. “This is going to be my job every day. I am going to a major league stadium and this is going to be my job. It’s kind of hard to wrap your head around. It’s going to be awesome to wake up every day and see all the monuments and the White House. I haven’t been there yet. So hopefully I’ll go there one day. It’s pretty awesome to be here in the nation’s capital.”

Manager Dave Martinez put Crews in right field and in the second spot in the batting order, between two players the Nationals hope will be part of their core for years to come: All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams and rookie left fielder James Wood — two players acquired from the Padres in a trade for Juan Soto.

“We are facing a left-handed pitcher,” Martinez said. “It just makes sense to put him between Abrams and Wood. Kind of exciting to see those three together. We have been waiting a little while but I really believe that this is another piece to the puzzle and to our future. I am excited for the kid and his family. We are all excited here. Nationals fans should be excited.”

In his first at-bat, Crews hit a routine fly to Soto in right field. Soto began his career in Washington and helped the Nationals win the 2019 World Series before being traded to San Diego.

Crews finished 0 for 3 with a walk and a strikeout in Washington’s 5-2 loss.

“It was an awesome feeling to go out there for the first time and compete with the guys,” Crews said. “Obviously, we didn’t end up winning today, but tomorrow we’re going to come out swinging.”

Tatis Jr. to Arizona

Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. went to Peoria., Ariz., where he will spend time facing minor-league pitchers before — or possibly instead of — a brief rehab assignment.

If all continues to go well, Tatis could return from his time on the injured list with a stress reaction in his right femur some time during the Padres’ homestand next week.

• Following Monday’s series-opening 7-4 win in St. Louis, the Padres are 25-8 since July 20, a .758 winning percentage. That ties them with Arizona for the best record in the majors during that span.

— San Diego Union-Tribune

Reeling ChiSox

Spencer Torkelson hit a three-run homer during a five-run seventh inning, as the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 6-3 on Monday night to complete a four-game sweep and drop the majors’ worst team to 31-101. The White Sox have lost eight of nine and have 31 blown saves, the most in the majors. They have four wins in their past 38 games, and are 17-78 in games when opponents have hit at least one home run.