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Dodgers beat Cubs 6-2 to complete doubleheader sweep
The Cubs threatened with two baserunners and two long fly outs in the ninth against Craig Kimbrel, but the Dodgers completed the doubleheader sweep with a 6-2 win.
After having only one hit through the first eight innings, the team added two insurance runs in the ninth after Gavin Lux walked (the ninth of the game for the Dodgers) and Mookie Betts hit a two-run homer, giving him a two-for-five night with five RBIs.
The Dodgers are 18-7 and have won five games in a row.
Final: Dodgers 6, Cubs 2
Cubs hit a home run, but Dodgers still lead despite one hit
It’s been a weird night at the plate for the Dodgers. They have only one hit, but they’ve walked eight times. It’s led to a lot of traffic, but no more runs since the second inning.
Meanwhile, Tyler Anderson’s night is done after five solid innings. He gave up a long solo home run to Willson Contreras in the fifth, but still finished his start allowing only four hits and one walk while striking out seven.
It’s the eighth-straight game the Dodgers’ starter has pitched at least five innings and given up no more than two earned runs.
End 5th: Dodgers lead 4-2
Dodgers erase early deficit with four-run second inning
The Dodgers got another big inning at the plate.
After the Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the first when Wilson Contreras reached third on a fly ball Mookie Betts dropped in right and scored on a ground ball to third, the Dodgers responded with four runs in the second.
The inning began with three straight walks from Cubs opener Daniel Norris. He was replaced by Keegan Thompson, who recorded two strikeouts before walking Hanser Alberto, forcing home a run.
Mookie Betts came to the plate next and lined a full-count double down the left field line, scoring all three runners.
It continues Betts’ recent hot streak at the plate. In his last 12 games, he’s 15 for 42 with eight RBIs.
Mid 2nd: Dodgers lead 4-1
Dodgers Game 2 lineup: Will Smith, Hanser Alberto draw in
The Dodgers made two changes to their lineup for Game 2, putting catcher Will Smith and second baseman Hanser Alberto into the lineup in place of Austin Barnes and Gavin Lux.
Tyler Anderson will take the mound for his third start and fifth appearance of the season, entering with a 2.55 ERA overall.
Here is the Dodgers full lineup:
Clayton Kershaw silences Cubs with seven scoreless innings in Dodgers’ win
CHICAGO — There weren’t many strikeouts, whiffs or foolish swings.
But in a scoreless seven-inning start on Saturday afternoon, Clayton Kershaw induced plenty of routine grounders, lazy pop-ups and, most importantly, zeros on the old manual center field scoreboard at Wrigley Field.
In the Dodgers’ 7-0 rout of the Chicago Cubs, Kershaw was efficient, throwing just 81 total pitches and 58 for strikes.
He was effective, giving up just five hits and facing the minimum three batters five times.
And he made his second scoreless outing of the season look eerily simple, lowering his season ERA to 1.80 on a day he had only two strikeouts but 18 at-bats of four pitches or less.
Dodgers beat Cubs 7-0 in Game 1
The Dodgers completed their third shutout as a team with a 7-0 win in Game 1 of their double-header against the Cubs. They are now 17-7 on the season.
Clayton Kershaw threw seven scoreless innings. Austin Barnes had a home run and 3 RBIs. Freddie Freeman hit three doubles. And the Dodgers collected seven runs on 11 hits and four walks.
Game 2 will start at 4:40 p.m. PDT.
Clayton Kershaw throws seven scoreless innings as Dodgers pad lead
Clayton Kershaw’s day is finished after seven scoreless innings that required only 81 pitches. He gave up five hits, walked one batter and struck out two, lowering his ERA this season to 1.80 in the process.
At the plate, meanwhile, the Dodgers tacked on a couple runs. Trea Turner hit an RBI single in the seventh to score Freddie Freeman, after he hit his third double of the game.
In the eighth, Austin Barnes drove in a couple more with a two-run single, giving him 3 RBIs on the afternoon.
Mid 8th: Dodgers lead 7-0
Justin Turner hits two-run double
After an 0-for-17 skid last week, Justin Turner has hits in back-to-back games.
Following a single on Wednesday, Turner plated a couple runs in the fifth inning today with a two-run double to left. The ball left Turner’s bat at 107.7 mph, the hardest he’s hit a ball this season.
Turner is still only batting .188 and has just five extra-base hits, but his hit did double the Dodgers’ lead.
End 5th: Dodgers lead 4-0
Clayton Kershaw through four scoreless innings; Austin Barnes extends Dodgers lead
Clayton Kershaw has looked sharp again early today.
The left-hander is through four scoreless innings against the Cubs and has needed only 44 pitches. In the first, he picked off Seiya Suzuki after a walk. In the second, Nico Hoerner got tagged on the bases after thinking the ball had gone out of play.
Then in the fourth, the Dodgers got a double play to erase a single from Suzuki.
Kershaw also has a couple strikeouts.
Meanwhile, his battery mate Austin Barnes doubled the Dodgers lead in the top of the fourth with a 427-foot solo home run.
End 4th: Dodgers lead 2-0
Dodgers score first thanks to Freddie Freeman’s baserunning
Dave Roberts has repeatedly praised Freddie Freeman’s baserunning this year. The Dodgers benefitted from it again in the first inning today.
After Mookie Betts drew a leadoff walk, Freeman hit a ball into the right-center field gap. As Michael Hermosillo fielded it, Freeman went for second base. As Freeman slid into the bag, Hermosillo’s one-hopped throw hit his leg and bounced away, allowing Betts to score the opening run and Freeman to go to third.
Of note: The Dodgers are 13-2 when scoring first this year.
Top 1st: Dodgers lead 1-0
Blake Treinen still not feeling right, will get another MRI on Monday
CHICAGO — Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen is still not close to returning.
Manager Dave Roberts said the right-hander’s shoulder injury “still doesn’t feel good” and that he is scheduled to see a doctor and get another MRI in Los Angeles on Monday.
“He hasn’t been to see the doctor in a couple weeks,” Roberts said. “So we’ll know more when the doc sees him and we get a prognosis.”
Treinen last pitched for the Dodgers in an April 14 game against the Cincinnati Reds. He said he felt some shoulder discomfort while playing catch prior to that game, and that he alerted the team after the pain got worse following his outing.
The Dodgers didn’t initially place Treinen on the injured list for several days, hoping he had just a minor ailment. But his shoulder failed to get better, culminating in another catch session in which it “just didn’t respond well,” Roberts said last week.
Treinen has already had one MRI that didn’t reveal any structural damage, Roberts said, but the pitcher has yet to progress.
“It’s obviously more than we initially thought,” Roberts said.
Roberts called Treinen is “the most valuable reliever we have” and acknowledged any long-term absence would be a major blow to the bullpen.
“It hasn’t shown itself yet, but it’s costly,” Roberts said. “
“It’s obviously given other guys opportunities. But what he does for us is a big part of strategy and how our bullpen works.”
Other pregame notes
— Roberts said starting pitcher Andrew Heaney, who has been on the injured list since April 20, is feeling better and will play catch this weekend. He could start a throwing progression after that.
— Mitch White has cleared COVID-19 protocols and is scheduled to throw a bullpen Saturday in Oklahoma City. Roberts said White will get built up as a starter.
— David Price likely won’t need a rehab assignment. He cleared COVID-19 protocols on Wednesday, and will go to Arizona next week to get built up. He’s currently with the Dodgers in Chicago.
— Reliever Caleb Ferguson (Tommy John recovery) is fine health-wise, per Roberts, but “the command and all that stuff is just not there yet.” Victor González (elbow inflammation) is a little behind Ferguson in his rehab.
Dodgers lineup for Game 1: Justin Turner returns to cleanup spot
The Dodgers will have most of their regulars in the lineup for Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader.
The only change is behind the plate, with Austin Barnes pairing with Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 and Will Smith set to catch Tyler Anderson in Game 2.
Barnes will bat eighth this afternoon, with Gavin Lux remaining in the nine hole. Hanser Alberto is scheduled to replace Lux in the lineup for the night game.
With Will Smith on the bench for the afternoon game, Justin Turner returns to the cleanup spot after he had been dropped to sixth last week.
The Dodgers also called up pitcher Robbie Erlin as their extra player for Saturday’s double header.
How to watch and stream the Dodgers in 2022
Here’s how to watch and stream the Dodgers this season:
Who is Todd Boehly? Dodgers co-owner behind record purchase of Chelsea FC
The record-breaking sale of Premier League soccer club Chelsea FC has a direct connection to the Dodgers.
Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly has reached a deal to acquire Chelsea for $4.93 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal, believed to be the highest sale price for a sports team.
The club later confirmed the deal.
Here’s what you need to know about Boehly, and Friday’s news.
‘Hitters are not getting rewarded.’ How the Dodgers are dealing with deadened baseballs
Off the crack of the bat, almost everyone on the field Tuesday night thought the ball was gone.
Cody Bellinger did, tossing his bat and admiring the high fly ball he sent soaring through a cool Southern California sky.
Dave Roberts was confident, as well, expecting to watch the drive fly over the center-field fence at Dodger Stadium.
Even San Francisco Giants pitcher John Brebbia had conceded, giving the towering shot a quick look over his shoulder before turning his back in defeat.
“I thought it was going to kill someone trying to catch it in the 10th row,” Brebbia later told the Athletic.
The ball, however, never reached the stands. It didn’t even get to the wall. Once again, what seemed like an almost certain home run had died in the glove of an outfielder. Once again, the sport’s latest tweak to the baseball had left doubts about what might have been.