The Dodgers are in town coming off a pretty hot streak winning 6 of 7, starting today with Memorial Day. Alex Wood challenges Jason Hammel. Hammel starts off getting the first two batters out but Justin Turner reaches on an error, Heyward drops the shallow fly ball. He would walk Adrian Gonzalez but gets Joc Pederson to pop out in fowl territory. Ben Zobrist leading off with Fowler getting the day off, walks but that would be all for the first inning. It would be a quick top of the second for Hammel. Wood catches Jorger Soler looking at strike 3. Addison Russell would single to right and then advance on Javier Baez’s quick bunt to 1st. David Ross would single to left to load the bases for Jason Hammel who would go down on a called 3rd strike. Up for his second at bat but this time with bases loaded, Zobrist strikes out.
We’d have a short delay at that start of the second with what appeared to be an issue with Hammel’s hamstring after throwing one warm up pitch ending his day. After commercial break the Cubs have Travis Wood entering the game to pitch to Alex Wood getting him to strike out then getting the next two batters out. Heyward would leadoff the third with a K but Bryant would single despite the shift to the left side of the infield. Rizzo would line one at Adrian Gonzalez who tags first. Jorge Soler would reach first on a base on balls. Addison lines out to short to end the inning.
Travis Wood has a 1-2-3 4th inning. Alex Wood gets the first two batters out then walks David Ross. Ross would make the last out being caught trying to snag second base. Wood has another 1-2-3 inning. We need some runs in the bottom half. Zobrist woul leadoff with what should have been a single turns into a three bagger on an error by Puig giving Ben a single and continuing his hitting streak to 16 games. Heyward would hit a slow roller to Gonzalez getting an infield hit scoring Ben. Anthony Rizzo sends a breaking ball to Puig, Heyward challenges the arm, on the relay to Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal appears to close his glove too soon and drops the ball allowing Jason to score. Russell K’s to end the inning but the Cubs are up 2-0.
Travis Wood starts the top of the sixth as Alex Wood is removed for a pinch hitter but it would be yet another 1-2-3 inning. Louis Coleman comes in and gets the first two batters out. Matt Szczur pinch hits for Wood but strikes out to end the inning.
Justin Grimm enters the game to continue to hold the Dodgers to one hit. Casey Fein enters the game in relief to also make it a 1-2-3 inning. Pedro Strop prevents the Dodgers from scoring and getting a hit in the eighth. J.P. Howell starts the bottom half of the eighth by hitting Rizzo. Tim Federowicz makes it two outs with a 6-4-3 double play. Russell belts a single to center to keep the inning alive. Manager Dave Roberts enters the game getting Baez to pop out. Hector Rondon Comes in to get his 9th save of the season! Cubs Win!
There hasn’t been an update on Hammel yet but I’m hoping it will be minor but the other way to look at it, is this what we can expect for the second half of the season which has been his pattern. Travis Wood took four innings striking out four but gave up no hits or walks. Grimm, Strop and Rondon all took three innings giving up no hits or walks also combining for four strike outs.
I personally can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a Cubs team play this well and continuously. One down three to go!
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