Game Forty-Nine – Cubs 2, Dodgers 0
WP – Travis Wood (3-0) LP – Alex Wood (1-4) Save – Hector Rondon (9)
Travis Wood stepped up Monday in relief of an injured Jason Hammel. Wood tossed four perfect innings and set the tone for the bullpen. The Cubs pen retired all 21 batters they faced Monday as the staff combined on a one-hit shutout of the Dodgers.
Jason Hammel had to leave the game before the third inning with what turned out to be cramping in his right hamstring. Travis Wood was called on and was lights out for four innings. Wood retired all 12 batters in four perfect innings. Wood made 43 pitches, 35 for strikes.
Justin Grimm completed a 1-2-3 seventh inning on 13 pitches, nine for strikes. Pedro Strop struck out two of the three batters he faced in the eighth. And Hector Rondon completed the shutout with a three-up, three-down ninth inning.
The Cubs bullpen threw 79 pitches, 61 for strikes, and retired all 21 batters on Monday … combined with Jason Hammel, and the Cubs’ staff set down the last 25 batters on Monday and faced two over the minimum in nine innings.
The Dodgers only hit came in the first inning, a two-out bloop single to right center off the bat of Justin Turner that Jason Heyward appeared to lose in the sun. Adrian Gonzalez walked with two outs in the first inning, the Dodgers’ last baserunner on the afternoon.
Five Cubs pitchers combined on the one-hit shutout and struck out 11 with one walk in nine innings.
The Cubs only runs scored in the fifth inning on a Jason Heyward infield single and an Anthony Rizzo double.
Ben Zobrist (1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored) led off the fifth with a single to right. Zobrist extended his hitting streak to 16 games with the knock. But Yasiel Puig misplayed the ball and Zobrist ended up at third. Jason Heyward (1-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI) bounced a 1-2 pitch toward first. Zobrist broke and for some reason Adrian Gonzalez thought he had a play at the plate. Heyward reached on an infield single after Gonzalez realized he had no play.
Anthony Rizzo (1-for-3 with a double, a HBP and a RBI) doubled to right. Heyward scored all the way from first base and gave the Cubs a two-run lead.
The Cubs had eight hits with three walks and a HBP but were 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.
Jason Hammel was forced to leave Monday’s game before the third inning with cramping in his right hamstring. Hammel pitched two scoreless innings, batted in the second inning and made several warmup pitches before the third inning. Hammel felt discomfort in his right leg and received treatment behind the mound from trainer P.J. Mainville. Hammel appeared to want to stay in the game. Hammel left and turned the game over to Travis Wood.
Hammel made 39 pitches, 22 for strikes, in two innings. Hammel gave up one hit and worked out of the first inning jam that was created by a ball being lost in the sun on a pop out to center off the bat of Justin Turner.
With Monday’s win, the Cubs improved to 35-14 on the season.
Jake Arrieta takes on Scott Kazmir in game two against the Dodgers Tuesday night (7:05pm CDT).