Dodgers Explode Past Cubs With 8-4 Win
CHICAGO (AP) — Dee Gordon and pinch-hitter Andre Ethier hit RBI doubles in Los Angeles' five-run seventh inning, and the Dodgers rallied to beat the Chicago Cubs 8-4 on Thursday night and extend their lead in the NL West.
The Dodgers trailed 4-1 heading into the seventh but six of their eight hitters reached base against reliever Neil Ramirez with five hits and an error.
Cubs rookie second baseman Logan Watkins couldn't handle Juan Uribe's hard-hit grounder with one out. That allowed the first run of the rally to score on a fielder's choice. Los Angeles scored all the runs in the inning against Ramirez (2-3), but only one was earned.
The Dodgers moved 2 1-2 games ahead of idle San Francisco in the NL West race.
Los Angeles overcame a shaky start by Zack Greinke, who allowed four runs in five innings. Paco Rodriguez (1-0), the first of four Dodgers relievers, pitched a scoreless sixth to earn the win.
Eight Dodgers had one RBI each.
Cubs rookie Jorge Soler had two hits and drove in two runs to increase his RBI total to 17 in 16 games. Luis Valbuena and Mike Olt also drove in runs.
Greinke failed to tie his career high with 16 wins. He struggled to find his rhythm early, and left after allowing nine hits and throwing 112 pitches.
Chicago starter Tsuyoshi Wada pitched five solid innings, allowing one run and five hits, and finishing with five strikeouts. He faced just nine hitters in the first three innings.
Two base-running mistakes cost Los Angeles early.
Gordon was picked off first base in the fourth inning with none out after getting the Dodgers' first hit. Uribe was thrown out at second by left fielder Chris Coghlan after he lined a drive off the wall.
The Cubs took a 2-0 lead in the first when their first four hitters reached base, with Valbuena and Soler lining RBI singles.
The Dodgers cut it to 2-1 in the fifth when Scott Van Slyke scored on A.J. Ellis' ground out.
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