Dodgers hang on to beat Cubs 3-2

LOS ANGELES — — One night later, Kenley Jansen returned to the mound to with a one-run lead. But before you knew it, the Cubs put the first two hitters on base with a single and a walk.

Kyle Schwarber then grounded out to first to put the runners on second and third.

Apparently with the contact play on, Victor Caratina hit a slow dribbler toward the mound, Almora Jr. ran home and Jansen made the clean throw to Martin who made the play and now there were two outs.

Javier Báez was the Cubs last chance to extend the game and he hit a line drive to center and for the moment it looked like the Cubs would beat Jansen again. But Alex Verdugo was able to make the play and the Dodgers held on to win 3-2.

Ross Stripling would get the win after he pitched a scoreless eighth inning, maintaining a 2-2 tie.

The Dodgers winning rally then began with Chris Taylor walking to lead off the bottom of the eighth. Taylor moved to second on Max Muncy’s ground out.

That brought up Russell Martin, who had already struck out three times and he was soon behind to Steve Cishek.

Then Cishek flipped another pitch towards the plate and Martin flipped it into left field.

Third base coach Dino Ebel had no hesitation to send Taylor. The Cubs had Kris Bryant in left field and he has four assists in over 900 innings in the outfield.

Taylor would do his best “Superman” imitation as he took off in low flight and he beat the throw home to give the Dodgers the lead.

Prior to the late inning excitement, the Cubs and Dodgers had another pitching duel between Hyun-Jin Ryu and José Quintana.

The Dodgers scored first when with two outs in first inning, David Freese singled. Quintana then walked Cody Bellinger, Chris Taylor and Max Muncy to force in the first run of the game.

And for the next four innings, that was it for the offenses for both teams. Ryu would only face 13 batters from the second through the fifth inning. And Quintana kept the Dodgers off the scoreboard too.

When asked earlier today if Ryu is fun to watch pitch, manager Dave Roberts said he was because of how he approaches each hitter.

“It is so much fun to watch his demeanor and just to really be in control of each start,” Roberts said, “he knows exactly what he wants to do with every hitter in every situation, never gets his emotion too big for the moment, and just watch him kind of, he’s a tactician.”

Ryu did not have fun in the sixth inning. Javier Báez got aboard on a throwing error by Justin Turner. Kris Bryant hit a seeing eye pop fly single that sent Báez to third.

After one out, Willson Contreras hit a ground ball to the vacated right-side of the infield that scored Báez and sent Bryant to third. David Bote followed with a sacrifice fly to score Bryant with the go-ahead run.

But in the bottom of the sixth, Bellinger homered, his tenth home run against a left-handed pitcher this season, to tie the score. Taylor then doubled past third base and Muncy solid single sent him to third. Muncy would take second on the throw home.

That was all for Quintana, the Cubs brought in Brandon Kintzler to pitch. Kintzler struck out Russell Martin and then Alex Verdugo pinch-hit for Kyle Garlick. Verdugo was intentionally walked and the Dodgers had Ryu hit for himself. Ryu would also strikeout.

With the Dodgers sending up Joc Pederson to hit for Kiké Hernández, the Cubs countered with left-hander reliever Tim Collins. Pederson would ground out to end the threat and game stay tied 2-2.

Ryu would pitch one more inning and he struck out the last two Cubs he faced. Ryu would not get a decision for his seven inning effort on Sunday. He gave up two unearned runs and seven hits. He struck out eight and again did not issue a walk.

The win gave the Dodgers the season series against the Cubs which would be important in case they ended up with the same record as division winners in the post season. The Dodges also won the season series against the Brewers.

Sunday particulars

WP: Ross Stripling (3-2), 1 IP, 1 H, 2 SO

LP: Steve Cishek (1-4), 1⅓ IP, 1 Run, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO

SV: Kenley Jansen (21), 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB

Home runs: Cody Bellinger (23)

Up next

The Dodgers will begin their second four-game series in this home stand as the San Francisco Giants will be their next opponent. Kenta Maeda will be on the mound for the Dodgers and the Giants will start Tyler Beede. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. PDT.