Chicago Cubs start second half with 4-1 win over Boston Red Sox

Seiya Suzuki was well rested on Friday.

The Chicago Cubs designated hitter was snubbed for the All-Star Game despite putting up some monster numbers, and he spent the four-day break relaxing with his family.

And on Tuesday night during the Midsummer Classic?

“I was asleep the whole time — I didn’t watch it,” Suzuki said through an interpreter.

He was awake enough Friday to cool off the hottest team in baseball.

Suzuki hit his team-leading 26th home run, a three-run shot in the first inning, and the Cubs started the second half of their season with a 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox in front of 41,011 at Wrigley Field.

Suzuki became the first National League player to hit the 80-RBI mark with the blast to center off Lucas Giolito, helping snap the Red Sox’s 10-game winning streak.

“I’m glad he got his sleep,” said center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, one of three Cubs All-Stars. “I just want a rested Seiya every day. That’s a good Seiya. That’s the best Seiya.”

The Red Sox (53-46) came in red-hot, having gone 24-11 since June 4. But the Cubs (58-39) played strong defense, and five relievers backed Colin Rea (8-3), who allowed only the one run despite walking four in five innings.

Rea said he felt a little different coming out of the break.

Photos: Chicago Cubs 4, Boston Red Sox 1 at Wrigley Field

“Body-wise you don’t feel quite as explosive,” Rea said. “I was able to keep my routine throughout the break, but it didn’t work out. Getting that first one out of the way feels good.”

Added manager Craig Counsell: “He was a little bend-don’t-break today. Four walks is out of character for him, but he made some big pitches when he had to.”

Rea, who finished with five strikeouts, was headed for disaster in the fifth inning when he faced runners at first and second and no outs. But when Alex Bergman lined out to Crow-Armstrong in center, the Red Sox’s Abraham Toro was racing to third when the ball was caught. Crow-Armstrong threw Toro out easily before he could get back to second.

“That was an enormous play,” Counsell said.

Giolito came in with a 6-1 record and a 3.36 ERA. He walked Michael Busch and Kyle Tucker, the first two batters he faced, before Suzuki took him deep. Giolito was saddled with the loss after giving up four runs in 5 1/3 innings.

He is one of two prominent ex-White Sox pitchers to face the Cubs in this series. Garrett Crochet, who is 10-4 with a 2.23 ERA, is scheduled to start the series finale Sunday afternoon.

While the first-place Cubs reached 19 games over .500 for the first time this season, they’re not resting on their laurels. But team President Jed Hoyer said before the game that any deals likely would come within four days of the July 31 deadline. He also said of potential trade bait among the Cubs’ top prospects: “No one is untouchable.”

That includes Owen Caissie, a left-handed-hitting outfielder who entered Friday with a .278 average, 19 home runs, 20 doubles and 42 RBIs in 73 games this season with Triple-A Iowa. But it would take a huge return for the Cubs to ship their No. 1 prospect.