Hammel hits, pitches Cubs past D-backs
CHICAGO -- Pitcher Jason Hammel of the Chicago Cubs showed no ill effects from a hamstring injury that limited him to two innings in his last start.
Hammel (7-1) allowed two runs and one hit in seven innings and helped himself at the plate as the Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3 on a rainy Saturday at Wrigley Field.
Hammel hit a two-run single that gave the Cubs the lead in the fourth inning.
The right-hander pitched only two innings Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to cramping in his right hamstring in his previous start.
The Cubs improved to 8-1 during their homestand and own the best record in baseball at 39-15.
D-backs starter Edwin Escobar (0-2) allowed four runs and five hits in 3 2-3 innings in his second start since Arizona claimed him on waivers from Boston on April 29.
Escobar was facing the Cubs for the first time. The D-backs have lost five of six.
Jake Lamb hit his 10th home run, a two-run shot to give Arizona the lead in the first, after Hammel issued a two-out walk to Paul Goldschmidt.
Dexter Fowler cut the D-backs lead in half with his seventh home run in the bottom of the inning. It was his third leadoff homer of the season and 17th of his career.
After Anthony Rizzo got on base on a popup that fell into short left-center in the fourth, Jorge Soler tied the game with an RBI double that landed in the ivy.
The D-backs intentionally walked David Ross to load the bases and bring up Hammel, who hit a grounder that bounced high off second base and scored two runs for a 4-2 lead.
Hammel's seven RBIs this season rank second behind the Cardinals' Adam Wainwright among pitchers.
Pedro Strop replaced Hammel and allowed a home run to Yasmany Tomas in the eighth to cut the lead to 4-3. Strop gave up a pair of two-out singles before exiting for Trevor Cahill, who walked Goldschmidt to load the bases.
Travis Wood got Rickie Weeks Jr. to line out to end the inning, and Hector Rondon earned his 10th save in as many chances after Rizzo hit his 13th home run in the bottom of the eighth.
NOTES: Despite having the largest run differential in the majors, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said his team has yet to hit to its potential. Several starters, including OF Jason Heyward (.228), 1B Anthony Rizzo (.246), OF Jorge Soler (.213) and SS Addison Russell (.241), had low averages entering Saturday. ... The Cubs are planning to wear NBA-style tracksuits for their trip to Philadelphia on Monday. The warmup suits have players' nicknames on the back. The team also wore zany suits for a previous trip to Pittsburgh. ... Diamondbacks starters had given up one run in their last 13 innings before Saturday. ... RHP Archie Bradley struck out 10 against the Cubs on Friday and RHP Zach Greinke struck out 11 against Houston on Wednesday to become the first Diamondbacks starters to strike out at least 10 in back-to-back outings since Randy Johnson, Brandon Webb and Curt Schilling did so in 2003.