Dodgers 5 Cubs 0: Corey in the House… I’m Your Man

The Dodgers capitalize off of the Cubs bullpen and score five to get the win.

First of all, let’s just talk about Scott Kazmir. Kazmir pitched six shutout innings and only allowed one hit. He was dominant on that mound. Once again, baseball is weird. Coming into this game, all everyone was talking about was Jake Arrieta, but Kazmir stepped up and did amazing. He struck out seven batters and walked just one. This was the best game I have ever seen Kazmir pitch. He was locked in and focused.

Jake Arrieta was, well Jake Arrieta again tonight. He pitched seven complete innings, allowing just two hits. Adrian Gonzalez singled to center in the first inning, but the next Dodger hit would not come until the top of the third when Corey Seager singled to right. After that, Arrieta did not allow any more. He also struck out eight and walked four batters tonight. Before tonight, the Cubs had won the last 23 times when Arrieta started dating all the way back to last July. The Dodgers got to break that streak this evening.

The offense picked up and started to hit off of Arrieta in the seventh inning. Howie Kendrick worked a two out walk, stole second base and then took third on a wild pitch. Yasmani Grandal would then walk and so would Carl Crawford. With two outs and the bases loaded, Justin Turner entered the game as a pinch hitter. He struck out looking. The whole at bat was really frustrating. The first strike was a little questionable and Turner seemed to not really want to swing the bat as he stared at the fastball down the middle. I will say, pinch hitting in that situation, especially against Arrieta would be a challenge, but the game was still tied at 0-0.

The Dodgers came alive against the Cubs bullpen and would score two in the top of the eighth inning. Chase Utley led off with a single, Seager reached on an infield single and the Gonzalez would single into left to score one. The butter and eggs man does it again! Gonzalez’s consistency and timing in these situations always amazes me. He is so clutch. Trayce Thompson would then walk and Kendrick hit a sacrifice fly to score Seager.

In the top of the ninth the Dodgers would strike again! Carl Crawford led off with a single, Enrique Hernandez, who pinch hit for Joe Blanton, also singled. Then came Seager who hit a bomb into right and the Dodgers now led by five.

Dodgers did today, what no team has done since July 25, 2015. The last team to beat the Cubs on a day Jake Arrieta started was the Phillies last July and it also happened to be Cole Hamels’ no hitter. They also held the Cubs to just one hit. That is a huge accomplishment considering that the Cubs average five runs a game and have the best record in baseball. Their one and only hit came in the bottom of the third inning when Dexter Fowler singled to right.

Kazmir was amazing, Joe Blanton was fantastic and Adam Liberatore quickly got out of the ninth and held the lead to give Kenley Jansen the day off. Overall, it was a great team win. It was nice to see the offense come up and get the job done for Kazmir who pitched totally stepped up to the plate today.

Dodgers will face the Cubs tomorrow as Mike Bolsinger and Jon Lester face off at 5:05 PM.