Lackey lasts 8 as Cubs down Angels
CHICAGO -- John Lackey allowed just three hits in an eight-inning outing while Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant each added solo home runs as the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-1 in a series-opener on Tuesday.
Lackey (9-7) surrendered a first inning solo home run and little else while walking one and striking out six in his fourth eight-inning effort of the season.
The victory was the eighth straight for the Cubs (70-41) and third in-a-row this season over the Angels (49-62).
Anthony Rizzo went 2-for-3 and scored twice while Jorge Soler also had two hits in his fourth consecutive start since coming off the disabled list.
Angels starter Jared Weaver (8-9) worked five innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits while striking out three and walking a pair.
Right fielder Kole Calhoun gave the Angels a 1-0 lead on the game's second pitch from Lackey, launching a one-out solo home run to left field for his 11th of the season.
Contreras, the Cubs rookie catcher, evened the score in the third with a leadoff homer to left for his sixth of the season.
Chicago scored twice in the fourth after Anthony Rizzo led off with a double to right. Ben Zobrist brought Rizzo home with a two-base hit to the right feel corner and he eventually scored for a 3-1 lead on Addison Russell's one-out sacrifice to left.
The Cubs added two more runs in the fifth inning.
Bryant made it 4-1 with a two-out solo home run to left on a first pitch from Weaver, his team-leading 28th of the season. Rizzo then reached on a double and came home for a 5-1 lead as Jorge Soler beat out an infield single.
NOTES: Los Angeles claimed LHP Brett Oberholtzer off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. The Angels also placed RHP Cam Bedrosian on the disabled list while activating RHP A.J. Achter from Triple-A Salt Lake. ... 1B Albert Pujols entered the series with 56 home runs against the Cubs, his most versus any opponent. ... The Angels send RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-8, 5.23 ERA) against Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (11-5, 3.07 ERA) in Wednesday's series finale. Chicago activated Hammel off the bereavement list on Monday while optioning RHP Justin Grimm to Triple-A Iowa. Grimm was 1-0 with a 4.58 ERA (18 earned runs/35 1/3 innings pitched) in 46 relief appearances. ... Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks was named co-National League Player of the Week on Monday with Miami's Ichiro Suzuki, who collected his 3,000th career hit. Hendricks (11-7, 2.17 ERA) was 2-0 with an 0.55 ERA last week with nine strikeouts. ... Tuesday marked the 28th anniversary of Wrigley Field's first night game -- a 6-4 Cubs' victory over the New York Mets. Chicago is now 329-307 all-time record under the lights.