Cubs 8, Dodgers 2
Luis Valbuena homered and drove in two runs and Kyle Hendricks tossed seven strong innings as visiting Chicago routed Los Angeles in the opener of a three-game series.
Hendricks (2-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits in his fourth career start to help the Cubs snap the Dodgers’ six-game winning streak. Starlin Castro had three hits and scored three runs while Kendricks added his first two career hits and an RBI for Chicago, which won for the fourth time in its last five games.
Valbuena evened the score at one with his ninth homer in the second inning off Dan Haren (8-9), who yielded seven runs (six earned) over 4 1/3 innings and lost his fifth straight start. The Dodgers were held without an extra-base hit and had their lead over second-place San Francisco cut to 2 1/2 games in the National League West.
The Cubs pulled ahead with three runs in a wild third inning that featured a double, two singles, a walk, a wild pitch and Matt Kemp’s throwing error. Haren ran into trouble again in the fifth when three of the first four batters reached base.
Chris Perez replaced Haren and allowed three runs to score when Welington Castillo singled in a run, Nate Schierholtz delivered a run-scoring sacrifice fly and Hendricks recorded his first career RBI with an infield single. Ryan Sweeney had two hits and scored twice for the Cubs, who won for the second time in their last 11 games against the Dodgers.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez left the game with a bruised right knee after sliding into home plate in the first inning. OF Yasiel Puig exited with mild left hamstring soreness after scoring from second base in the fifth. … OF Chris Coghlan contributed two hits for Chicago, which improved to 36-14 when scoring four or more runs. … Los Angeles LHP Paul Maholm left with an apparent leg injury after covering first base in the seventh inning.