Advertisement

Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell power Chicago Cubs past Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jack McCarthy, The Sports Xchange
Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo hits the ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers. File photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/UPI
Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo hits the ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers. File photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/UPI | License Photo

CHICAGO -- Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell each hit solo homers while Brett Anderson scattered three hits over five innings as the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 in Thursday afternoon's series finale.

The Wrigley Field victory was the Cubs' second in three games against the Dodgers and gave them their third straight series triumph.

Advertisement

Anderson (1-0) worked five shutout innings in his second start and home debut. He struck out two and walked four.

Chicago (6-3) has won four of its last five. Los Angeles (5-5) has dropped four of its last six.

Rizzo opened a 1-0 lead with his first homer of the season, a blast into the right-field bleachers on left-handed starter Hyun-Jin Ryu's 2-1 pitch with two gone in the first inning. It was his first regular-season homer since Sept. 28, 2016 against the Pirates.

Advertisement

The Dodgers threatened with runners on second and third with two out the fourth, but Anderson preserved the shutout by coaxing Trayce Thompson into an inning-ending grounder to Russell at shortstop.

Russell then doubled the Cubs' lead in the bottom of the inning, sending Ryu's 2-0 pitch out of the park onto Waveland Ave. for his first homer of the season and a 2-0 edge.

Anderson faced bases loaded with two out in the fifth after walking Ryu and Justin Turner and giving up a single to Corey Seager. But the threat ended when Yasiel Puig popped out in foul territory near first base.

Kyle Schwarber made it 3-0 with an infield single that scored Javier Baez from second with none out while pinch hitter Jon Jay, who had earlier reached after being hit by a pitch, took second.

Rizzo, who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, singled in Jay for a 4-0 lead. Schwarber's bid to score was denied on a throw from left fielder Enrique Hernandez to catcher Yasmani Grandal, who tagged Schwarber.

Ryu (0-2) departed after that for reliever Josh Fields. Ryu worked 4 2/3 innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits, struck out two and walked five.

Advertisement

Ryu made his second start of the season and just his third since 2014 after sitting out 2015 and part of 2016 following left shoulder surgery. He went back on the disabled list last July with elbow tendonitis and did not return.

NOTES -- LHP Clayton Kershaw (1-1, 3.46 ERA) makes his third start of the season on Friday as the Dodgers come home for a four-game series against Arizona. The Diamondbacks send RHP Zach Greinke (1-0, 2.31 ERA) to the mound. ... Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig feels right at home at Wrigley Field with a .383 average over 14 regular-season games, including 13 runs, three doubles, a triple, six RBIs and seven multi-hit games. ... Chicago's homestead continues with three weekend day games against the Pittsburgh Pirates starting Friday. Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (1-0, 6.00 ERA) hopes to extend his 15-inning scoreless streak against the Pirates. ... Pittsburgh counters with RHP Gerrit Cole (0-1, 6.55 ERA), who is coming off an injury-plagued 2016 season. ... Wednesday's 2-0 loss to the Dodgers was the first time the Cubs were shut out at Wrigley Field since May 31, 2016, also against Los Angeles.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines