Dodgers 1 Cubs 0: That’s a New Way to Win

The Dodgers took a late lead and won the series against the Cubs.

The Dodgers won a pitching-dominated game in the finale on Sunday. The Dodgers got great pitching all day, and a Cub mental error gave them the late win.

Dodgers Starter

Brock Stewart against the Cubs. That seemed like a recipe for disaster. Stewart’s past starts came against the Brewers and Rockies, and he allowed 13 runs in nine innings. He got the spot start, but came out on fire.

Stewart allowed a one-out walk in the first and a one-out single in the second, but had two strikeouts in each frame. He struck out the side in the third and added on another in the fourth. Stewart set a career-high with eight strikeouts.

Stewart never really got in trouble during his outing. He was hit for in the bottom of the fifth. His final line was excellent. Five innings, two hits, two walks and a career-high eight strikeouts. His most troublesome inning came in the fifth, when he gave up a walk and a single. A bunt moved them into scoring position, but he got Dexter Fowler to fly out to center.

For a spot start, the Dodgers could not have asked for much more out of Stewart. The decision to pull him before the sixth was slightly controversial. Josh Reddick was used as a pinch hitter against a lefty, which was really my only complaint with it. Stewart would have faced Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist for the third time in the game.

Dodgers Offense

Stewart pitched well enough to get a win, but Jon Lester matched him pitch for pitch. After Howie Kendrick led off the game with a walk, Lester got the next seven batters out, five of which came on strikeouts. He lost hit no-no to Stewart, who poked a single to left in the third.

Stewart’s single was erased by a Howie Kendrick double play. The Dodgers got a walk and a hit in the fifth, but that was also erased on a double play, this one by Enrique Hernandez.

The Dodgers finished with only three hits against Lester. Lester went six innings and struck out six (seemed like a lot more). Going back to his start against LA in Chicago, Lester tossed 15 innings of one-run ball this season against the Dodgers.

Justin Grimm retired the Dodgers easily in seventh. Trevor Cahill got the eighth and hit Andrew Toles to start the inning. Kendrick hit a swinging bunt, and Cahill fielded and threw it into right field. Cahill intentionally walked Corey Seager and was pulled for Carl Edwards Jr. Edwards struck Justin Turner out, but then things got weird.

Adrian Gonzalez hit a routine grounder to Javier Baez at third. With the bases loaded, Baez threw to force Seager at second. Seager hustled and Zobrist was in short right field on a shift, and Seager beat him to the base. The play was reviewed and the call remained safe. Baez would have easily had Gonzo at first, but went the short way and it cost them.

Dodgers Bullpen

Jesse Chavez replaced Stewart in the sixth and got in a bit of trouble. Bryant lined a double to right-center to start the inning. Rizzo grounded out to advance Bryant, and Chavez walked Ben Zobrist. He got a pop-up and was pulled for Grant Dayton. Dayton gave up a laser to Jason Heyward, but Adrian Gonzalez made a nice snag to end the threat.

Dayton got the seventh and allowed a two-out walk, but got a pop-up to end the inning.

Joe Blanton had a weird eighth inning. He got four fly outs/pop ups. The first fell in for a single as Joc Pederson got a late jump and was playing deep. The next two were routine outs, but the fourth was popped up behind short. Charlie Culberson rushed over, as did Seager. They both went after the ball and it was knocked out of one of their gloves, but Seager grabbed it on the fly with his bare hand to end the inning.

Kenley Jansen appeared in his third straight game and fifth game of the six-game homestand. He showed no ill effects, as he tossed a 1-2-3 to end the game

Other Stuff

A series win against the Cubs is HUGE. The Giants are killing the Braves right now, so the lead will remain at two games. That is a great outcome, even though the two losses this week were more annoying than a normal loss.

The Dodgers travel to Colorado for a three game set in Colorado. As always, I don’t care if they get swept out there, as long as no one gets hurt. Coors is unpredictable, so health is my biggest concern. It’s their last time at Coors until next season, so just survive please.