Dodgers at Cubs
The Los Angeles Dodgers have a chance to pull even on their six-game road trip after posting a 5-1 triumph over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. Los Angeles, which started the season with a 16-6 mark, avoided its first three-game slide and snapped a three-game losing skid to Chicago. The Cubs were forced to shake up their rotation due to ace Matt Garza’s bout with the flu. Garza, who was passed over on Saturday, will be replaced by Travis Wood on Sunday.
Matt Kemp struggled with the winds at Wrigley Field on Saturday, watching the gusts slow down a sure home run to center field. Kemp did, however, record his 27th RBI of the season and sits one behind teammate Andre Ethier for the major league lead. Chicago shortstop Starlin Castro went 3-for-4 and scored the lone run. He’s 5-for-9 with a RBI for the series.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, PRIME (Los Angeles), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Aaron Harang (1-2, 5.72 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Travis Wood (2011: 6-6, 4.84 ERA)
Harang’s flyball style may get a boost from the Wrigley Field winds. The right-hander was spotty against the Colorado Rockies in his last start, allowing five runs on six hits but retired nine straight batters at one point. He’s 11-8 with a career 4.45 ERA against the Cubs, including a 6-3 mark inside the Friendly Confines.
Wood gets the emergency callup from Triple-A Iowa with Garza still battling a nasty virus. Wood is making his Chicago debut after pitching for Cincinnati the past two seasons. The southpaw posted an ERA north of 5.00 in Triple-A and is 1-1 with a career 7.59 ERA against the Dodgers, spanning 10 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Los Angeles returns home to host rival San Francisco on Monday. Chicago welcomes Atlanta for three games in the Windy City beginning Monday.
2. Kemp, who is batting .392 and leads the majors with 12 home runs, went hitless for just the fourth time this season on Saturday. He’s 1-for-7 in the series with two RBIs and hasn’t hit a homer in four straight outings – his longest drought of the season.
3. The Cubs entered the weekend ranked fifth worst for errors in the National League, committing two Saturday to give them 23 errors on the year. Eight of those have come from Castro.