Dodgers vs. Cubs: L.A. run historical in nature

The Dodgers continue their series at Wrigley Field against the Cubs on Friday with the first of three straight afternoon games. With a win on Thursday night the Dodgers continued what is becoming a rather historic march.

Despite trailing 2-0 early then trailing 3-2 in the sixth, the Dodgers fought back to avoid back-to-back losses, something they haven't done since June 20-21 in San Diego.

That's nearly six full weeks without losing consecutive games, from the team that had losing streaks of six and eight games in its first 34 contests of 2013. But the Dodgers of July and August aren't the Dodgers from April and May.

These Dodgers are 28-7 since those two straight losses in San Diego, the best record in MLB during that span. That ties the 1977 squad for the best 35-game stretch since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1958. Those 1977 Dodgers went to the World Series.

No L.A. Dodgers team has ever had a 29-7 stretch.

These Dodgers had a 27-6 run that was the best 33-game stretch since the 1953 Brooklyn team that just happened to go to the World Series after setting a franchise record with 105 wins.

These Dodgers are 27-24 away from home, one of only three National League teams with even a .500 record on the road.

They have won 11 straight road games, something no Los Angeles Dodgers team has ever done. The last Dodgers team to win 11 straight road games was the 1955 squad that started out 11-0 away from Ebbets Field. Like 2013, those 1955 Dodgers captured their 11th straight road win at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.

Don Newcombe faced the minimum 27 batters that day in pitching a shutout. He allowed only a fourth-inning single to Chicago second baseman Gene Baker, who was thrown out trying to steal second base. The 3-0 win brought the Dodgers' record to 22-2, their best start ever, on their way to a sixth National League pennant in 10 years and the first World Series win in franchise history.

The Dodgers send Hyun-jin Ryu to the mound on Friday looking to match a franchise record. The 1924 Brooklyn Dodgers won 12 straight road games from Aug. 25 to Sept. 6, part of an overall 15-game winning streak that remains the longest win streak in Dodgers history.

Travis Wood starts for the Cubs on Friday. The 2013 All-Star is making his fourth career start against the Dodgers. After allowing eight runs in less than five innings to the Dodgers while with the Reds on June 5, 2011, his last two starts against L.A. have been much better. Both were six-inning quality starts with a total of four runs allowed, and both games were won by Wood's team (once the Reds, once the Cubs).

Andre Ethier is 3-for-7 with two doubles against Wood. Hanley Ramirez is 2-for-5 with two doubles, though he gets a day off on Friday. Nick Punto, starting at shortstop, is 0-for-5 against Wood and has one hit in his last 24 at-bats overall. Juan Uribe is 0-for-3 against Wood but also has two walks

Game info

Time: 1:05 p.m.

TV: Prime Ticket, WGN

MLB Gameday