Dodgers 5, Cubs 2
LOS ANGELES -- A four-run rally in the seventh inning boosted the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs before 51,697 at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night.
The seventh-inning surge pushed the National League West-leading Dodgers (72-56) to 3 1/2 games ahead of the San Francisco Giants, who fell 6-0 to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.
Reliever J.P. Howell (5-1) struck out the only hitter he faced as Los Angeles captured its fifth straight win. Closer Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to record his 27th save in 29 chances.
Chicago (73-55) lost its fourth game in a row but remains 4 1/2 games ahead of the Giants for the NL's second wild-card spot.
Second baseman Jose Peraza initiated the rally in the seventh with a run-scoring double -- his first major league RBI -- and bringing home left fielder Carl Crawford to tie the score at 2 with no outs.
Right fielder Andre Ethier followed with a go-ahead, two-run single for a 4-2 Los Angeles cushion. That chased Jon Lester (8-10), who gave up five runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and no walks in six-plus innings.
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez added an RBI single for the final Los Angeles run.
The Cubs threatened in the eighth against reliever Jim Johnson. However, with the bases loaded and one out, Johnson induced shortstop Addison Russell to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Dodgers starter Mat Latos surrendered two runs on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.
Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, who struck out four times in Friday night's 4-1 loss, led off the second inning with a single and advanced to second on a fielder's choice. A wild pitch by Latos allowed Bryant to reach third. Bryant scored on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Russell for a 1-0 lead.
Dodgers center fielder Enrique Hernandez's infield single, driving in second baseman Jose Peraza, knotted the score at 1 with two outs in the third.
Chicago regained the lead in the fifth when Mat Latos balked home Russell for a 2-1 advantage. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly contested the ruling by second base umpire Jim Joyce, but the call stood.
NOTES: Dodgers INF Chase Utley, who primarily plays second base, fielded ground balls at third before the game. Utley, who has never played third professionally, could be used at the position when injured 2B Howie Kendrick (hamstring) returns from the 15-day disabled list, manager Don Mattingly said. ... The Cubs entered Saturday's game with an 18-7 record in August, which was tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets for the best in the National League. ... Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (16-6, 2.22 ERA), who is 5-0 with a 0.54 ERA in five starts in August, will face Dodgers LHP Alex Wood (9-8, 3.70) in the series finale Sunday.