That’s now 84 runs scored in the first inning this year; the 0.67 ratio (84 first-inning runs in 126 games) ranks sixth in Major League Baseball, but is a significant improvement over last year’s 0.55.
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The Padres must be pretty happy to see the Cubs leave town.
OAKLAND, Calif. – Carlos Carrasco and Andrew Miller combined on a four-hitter, Carlos Santana homered in the eighth inning and the Cleveland Indians beat the Oakland Athletics 1-0 on Monday night. He’s done it before.
Right-hander Kyle Hendricks allowed two runs on four hits over six innings and second baseman Ben Zobrist hit a two-run triple and scored two runs Wednesday as the Cubs ran their record to 22-5 over their last 27 games.
“I wasn’t anxious”, manager Joe Maddon said.
With similar designs on their organizational blueprint, the Padres are at the onset of a process that, for the Cubs, began with a.377 winning percentage during Epstein’s first year on the job.
The Padres’ first hit was a clean single to right by left fielder Alex Dickerson leading off the second.
The left-hander took a shutout into the seventh inning and improved to 14-4 with his second win over the Padres this season.
“That was really loud”, Maddon said of Contreras’ blast. Numbers are fabulous. It’s hard to replicate what he had done past year, because he just nailed it.
“I don’t know how many guys are in the dugout or in the bullpen or wherever”, said Lester.
“Clemens was as good as he’s been after three hitters”, said Green. “The biggest thing from last year to this year is the confidence thing”. That is our game plan.
“We decelerated the bat twice to put it in play on the first pitch of the at-bat”, Green said. Does it play in our favor to maybe conserve that for later?
Dexter Fowler led off the game with a double and Kris Bryant almost launched his third homer of the series. It marked the second time this season and in his career Polanco hit two home runs in a game.
Arrieta won for the fourth straight start. A home run by Wilson Contreras in the seventh off Brad Hand gave them the insurance they needed to bury the Padres, who only managed one more run in the eighth on a walk and a double.
It will be up to Arrieta to complete that thought in a World Series-or-bust season for baseball’s first team to 80 wins this year, one that’s now 35 games over.500. He lasted 5 1/3 innings, giving up five runs and seven hits.
Jackson departed after five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and four walks. Left fielder Jorge Soler then pushed Zobrist across the plate with a sacrifice fly.
“That was a terrible pitch to Russell”, Jackson said. “I think that’s kind of why we’ve had a lot of success this year”.
Carpenter set the tone, hitting a leadoff home run in the first inning. Estevez got ahead, 0-2 to Hernan Perez, who ripped the next offering down the line in right to put the Brewers in front and make a victor out of Brent Suter (1-1) for the first time in his career.
The Padres blew several chances early.
“The pickoff at third was rather large and the double plays, those are demoralizing for the other side”, Maddon said.
Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (11-7, 21.6) has 16 straight starts in which he’s allowed three runs or fewer, the longest streak in the majors this season.
Cubs: LHP Mike Montgomery (1-1, 2.77) starts Friday in the opener of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.
Meanwhile, the Cubs powered their way to a 5-0 lead against Padres starter Christian Friedrich in 5 1/3 innings.
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CINCINNATI – Adrian Gonzalez hit three of the Dodgers’ seven homers – driving in a career-high eight runs – and rookie Corey Seager had a noteworthy homer as well.
