Dodgers 6, Cubs 2
Zack Greinke came within one out of a shutout and added an RBI single as Los Angeles defeated visiting Chicago.
Carl Crawford and Nick Punto each doubled in a run and Crawford added a sacrifice fly for the Dodgers, who avoided their first three-game losing streak since June. Hanley Ramirez and Yasiel Puig chipped in solo home runs as Los Angeles spread its lead in the National League West out to 9 1/2 games over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Greinke (13-3) struck out nine and yielded two runs on five hits in 8 2/3 innings, and snapped a scoreless draw in the fourth at the plate. The right-hander came up with runners on first and second and grounded a single into center to plate A.J. Ellis before Crawford’s ground-rule double made it a 2-0 gap.
Mark Ellis led off the sixth with a walk and stole second before scoring on Punto’s double, and Crawford followed Greinke’s sacrifice bunt with his fly to push it to a four-run lead. Ramirez ripped a line drive off the facing of the second deck in left in the seventh and Puig added a towering shot to left in the eighth.
Jake Arrieta (2-3) was charged with four runs on six hits and five walks in five-plus innings to absorb his first loss since joining the Cubs. Brian Bogusevic delivered a two-out, two-run double in the ninth to avoid the shutout.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Los Angeles RHP Brian Wilson struck out Donnie Murphy to record the final out. … Greinke is 5-0 with a 1.23 ERA in his last five starts. … Chicago SS Starlin Castro went 1-for-4 with a single. He has not recorded an extra-base hit since August 11.