Lester dominant as Cubs edge Giants
CHICAGO -- Jon Lester worked 6 2/3 no-hit innings and closed with just three hits allowed as the Chicago Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Friday.
Lester (15-4) didn't give up a hit until Hunter Pence's solo home run with two out in the seventh inning.
He threw 102 pitches, struck out four and walked two as the Cubs (87-47) won their fifth straight.
Lester also won his sixth decision in his last nine starts and has allowed one run or less in his last four appearances.
The complete game was Lester's second this season and first since June 1, a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Albert Suarez (3-3) took the loss after working five innings as the Giants (72-62) dropped their second straight.
The Cubs hit Suarez for two runs in the third inning.
David Ross doubled into the left field corner to plate Javier Baez and break a scoreless tie. Ross advanced to third on Lester's successful sacrifice bunt and came home for a 2-0 lead on Dexter Fowler's one-out single to left.
Lester issued a first-inning walk to Giants first baseman Buster Posey and allowed nothing else until Pence's two-out bases empty home run, a towering blast into the left field bleachers.
Brandon Crawford followed with a double to right and Trevor Brown had a two-base hit with one out in the eighth but ended up stranded.
Fowler saved what was still a no-hit bid in the sixth despite contending with poor turf while making a sliding catch. The outfield grass was damaged by a concert last month and Fowler left a gash in the field, attempting to pat the turf back into place after his grab.
Suarez was finished after five innings, departing for a pinch hitter in the sixth. He allowed two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out three.
The Cubs had the bases loaded with one out in the eighth inning but Jason Heyward lined into an inning-ending double play.
The Cubs moved 40 games over .500 and extended their NL Central lead to a season-high 16 games heading into evening action.
NOTES: The Giants reactivated RHP Matt Cain from the 15-day disabled list (low back strain) prior to Friday's game but he won't start in the Cubs series. Cain missed 13 games with his most recent stint on the list. ... San Francisco entered Friday with a streak of 16 straight games without an error, the longest in franchise history. ... The Giants send LHP Madison Bumgarner (13-8, 2.49 ERA) against Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (16-5, 2.84 ERA) in Saturday's game three. ... The Cubs' 22-6 August record and .786 winning percentage was the best in a month with 20 decisions since July 1945 when Chicago was 26-6 (.813) and went on to the World Series. ... The Cubs' five innings of bullpen relief on Thursday (Rob Zastryzny, Joe Smith and Carl Edwards Jr.) was only the second time that has occurred in the last nine seasons. ... The Cubs scored in the first inning of each of their last six home games until Friday when they went down in order in the opening frame.