Cody Bellinger hit two of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ four home runs to lead the way in a 7-3 comeback win in the opener of a four-game against the Chicago Cubs. The Dodgers improved to 26-7 at Dodger Stadium this season, good for the best home record in baseball.
Bellinger’s homer was his 21st this season, while it was Muncy’s 16th of the year. For Bellinger, he had been mired in a 12-game drought without a long ball as his last homer came in a loss to the New York Mets on May 28. He added a second home run in the seventh inning.
Whether the two were related or not can be argued, but Jon Lester surrendered the home runs to Bellinger and Muncy not long after being hit by a comebacker. David Freese’s line drive went off Lester’s leg and he remained in the game after being checked on by a trainer.
One inning later Freese tagged Lester in a different manner by lifting a two-run homer to right field. Each of the Dodgers’ three home runs off the southpaw were to the opposite field.
Moreover, Lester retired the first seven batters faced and after allowing just one hit to the first 11 batters, Freese’s line drive off Lester’s leg was the first of eight hits by the next 11 men to the plate.
The power display helped the Dodgers erase an early deficit after the Cubs ambushed Kershaw. His first pitch of the game was deposited into the center-field pavilion by Kyle Schwarber. A Kris Bryant walk followed, then an Anthony Rizzo double.
Willson Contreras’ flare RBI single into shallow left field gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Kershaw managed to minimize the damage by striking out Albert Almora Jr., and he also benefitted from Rizzo getting caught in a rundown after coming too far off third on Contreras’ stolen base attempt.
Bryant’s leadoff home run in the third inning extended the Cubs’ lead to 3-0. Kershaw settled in from there to finish with eight strikeouts over six innings.
He was backed by three scoreless innings from Julio Urias in what was his third career save. Each has come this season and two have been of the three-inning variety.
Chris Taylor went 1-for-3 with a walk in his first start at shortstop since Corey Seager suffered a strained left hamstring. The Dodgers have not released a timetable for Seager’s return, but it can safely be presumed he will be sidelined for at least one month.
