Cubs at Dodgers
The Chicago Cubs hope to continue receiving production from Javier Baez when they visit the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday for the third contest of their four-game series. The 25-year-old Puerto Rican went 4-for-5 with a pair of homers - including a grand slam during a six-run sixth inning - in Tuesday's 9-4 triumph, which ended Chicago's five-game losing streak.
Baez, who finished a triple shy of the cycle, has hit safely in seven of his last nine games and gone 8-for-20 with 10 RBIs over the first six contests of the Cubs' eight-game road trip. Chicago, which won two of three home games from Los Angeles last week, could receive a reinforcement Wednesday as closer Brandon Morrow (back) could be activated from the disabled list in time for the contest. The Dodgers squandered a 2-1 lead on Tuesday en route to having their four-game winning streak halted. Cody Bellinger has been swinging a hot bat for Los Angeles of late, going 8-for-20 with three homers and seven RBIs during his five-game hitting streak.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBCS Chicago, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (5-7, 3.73 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Alex Wood (3-5, 4.13)
Hendricks is coming off his fourth loss in five starts, a setback at Cincinnati on Thursday in which he yielded four runs on three hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings. The 28-year-old Californian has struggled with his control this month, issuing 13 walks over 21 2/3 frames in four turns. Hendricks, whose ERA on the road is nearly two runs higher than his mark at home (4.78/2.96), is 2-1 with a 3.15 ERA in three career regular-season starts against Los Angeles.
Wood has allowed fewer than three earned runs in each of his last three starts after being tagged for six over two innings at Colorado on June 3. The 27-year-old native of North Carolina's last outing was a road victory over the New York Mets on Friday in which he gave up two runs and six hits over six innings. Wood owns a 2-2 record and 2.93 ERA in eight career regular-season appearances (five starts) against the Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers OF/SS Chris Taylor (hamstring) has gone 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs as a pinch hitter since suffering his injury.
2. Chicago made a bevy of moves Tuesday, placing 3B Kris Bryant (shoulder) and RHP Justin Hancock (shoulder) on the 10-day disabled list, optioning RHP Duane Underwood Jr. to Triple-A Iowa and recalling 2B David Bote and RHPs Dillon Maples and Luke Farrell from the affiliate.
3. Los Angeles RHP Walker Buehler (rib) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday with no pain and will toss another on Thursday.