The Dodgers ended their regular season road schedule with an 8-5 win at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, winning three games in the four-game series with Chicago. Jamey Wright made the start on Sunday for Los Angeles, the middle reliever’s first of the season. Wright pitched two innings and gave up three hits and one run. Wright struck out three batters through his two innings of work and surrendered one walk. Carlos Frias came into the game in the third inning and surrendered three hits that led to three earned runs. Chris Perez came in next for the Dodgers and eventually picked up his first win of the season after striking out two batters in 1 1/3 innings pitched. Pedro Baez and Kenley Jansen both pitched an inning after a short outing from Paco Rodriguez to finish out the game and seal the win. Jansen recorded his 43rd save of the season.
Yasiel Puig singled in the first inning for the Dodgers first hit of the game and scored on a double from Adrian Gonzalez after blowing through the stop sign from third base coach Lorenzo Bundy. Hanley Ramirez hit a two out double to drive in Gonzalez and give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Puig singled again in the third inning, and Matt Kemp sent his 23rd home run of the season into the right center field stands to give Los Angeles a 4-1 lead. Puig struck out in the fifth inning but moved to first base on a passed ball. He then stole and stumbled into second base, causing an injury timeout to check on the young Cuban outfielder. He stayed in the game, and Kemp singled sharply to left field to score Puig again. Juan Uribe doubled in the sixth inning before being driven in by a double from Scott Van Slyke. Kemp finished off his four RBI game with a soft lining single into right field to drive in Puig from third base, scoring his fourth run of the game. Kemp singled in the eighth inning to capture his fourth hit of the afternoon, before being thrown out at second base on a fielder’s choice groundout from Miguel Rojas. Carl Crawford singled to move Rojas into scoring position from third base, and a single from Uribe put the Dodgers ahead 8-5, giving closer Jansen some breathing room. Puig, Gonzalez, Ramirez, Crawford and Uribe each had two hits, adding to the total of 16 hits in the win.
The Dodgers will now head home to Los Angeles to welcome in the San Francisco Giants for a pivotal three-game series at Dodger Stadium. Dan Haren will open up for the Dodgers on the mound, entering the game holding a four-game lead on the Giants for first place in the National League West.