Soler homer sparks Cubs past A's
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jorge Soler hit a three-run homer in his first at-bat after being activated from the disabled list, Jon Lester threw seven strong innings and the Chicago Cubs defeated the Oakland A's 7-2 on Friday night at the Oakland Coliseum.
Lester (12-4) allowed two runs on six hits, struck out eight and walked none. He faced the A's for the first time since leaving them as a free agent and signing with the Cubs after the 2014 season. The A's acquired Lester on July 31, 2014, from Boston with outfielder Jonny Gomes in exchange for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.
Soler missed 51 games with a strained left hamstring and played his first game for the Cubs since June 6, starting at designated hitter.
Dexter Fowler led off the game with his ninth home run of the season for the Cubs, who won their fifth straight game and improved to a major league best 67-41.
Rookie outfielder Brett Eibner was recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Friday and hit a solo home run in his A's debut. Eibner, who started in right field, was acquired from Kansas City on July 30 in exchange for outfielder Billy Burns. The home run was Eibner's fourth of the season.
A's rookie left-hander Dillon Overton (1-3) had another rough outing. He gave up seven runs on nine hits, including two home runs, over three innings as his ERA rose from 9.33 to 10.97 in his first five major league starts.
Overton has allowed 11 home runs. No major league pitcher since at least 1913 has allowed more than nine home runs during his first five career games.
Lester blanked the A's for the first five innings on one hit, Khris Davis' infield single, but Eibner hit Lester's first pitch in the eighth over the left-field fence, cutting the Cubs' lead to 7-1. The A's scored again in the inning when rookie Bruce Maxwell doubled and Marcus Semien brought him home with a single.
A's first baseman Danny Valencia was ejected by home plate umpire Mike Eastbrook in the bottom of the sixth inning after taking a called third strike for the second time in the game and arguing the decision.
The Cubs took a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Fowler hit his fifth leadoff home run of the season and 19th of his career. Fowler launched Overton's 3-2 fastball over the left-center field wall for his ninth home run of the season.
Anthony Rizzo blooped a one-out single to center, Addison Russell singled with two outs and Soler lined Overton's 1-1 pitch over the left-field fence for a three-run homer, his sixth home run of the season.
The Cubs extended their lead to 7-0 in the third. Ben Zobrist led off with a double and Overton hit Russell with a pitch. With one out, Jason Heyward had an RBI single and Javier Baez followed with a two-run double.
NOTES: Cubs OF Jorge Soler (left hamstring strain) was activated from the disabled list after missing 51 games and started at designated hitter against Oakland. Soler had been on the DL since June 7. ... The Cubs designated RHP Joe Nathan for assignment, opening a spot of their 25-man roster for Soler. Nathan was 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in three relief appearances. Nathan, who underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2015, made his Cubs debut on July 24. ... A's 2B Jed Lowrie (bunion, left big toe) was placed on the 15-day disabled list and will decide whether to have season-ending surgery after consulting with doctors within and outside of the A's organization. ... OF Brett Eibner was recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Friday and made his A's debut, starting in right field. The A's acquired Eibner from Kansas City on July 30 in exchange for OF Billy Burns. ... Oakland RHP Jesse Hahn (strained right shoulder) was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday. ... RHP Andrew Triggs was recalled Friday from Triple-A Nashville and began his eighth stint with the A's this season. ... A's strength and conditioning coach Mike Henriques was suspended for reportedly installing a hidden camera on July 24 in the team's weight room at the Oakland Coliseum to monitor injured players working out while the team was on a road trip. The A's hired in independent law firm to investigate the matter. A's director of corporate communications Catherine Aker said the law firm "provided the findings to us" and they'll be delivered to the team Monday.