Hammel (6-1, 2.17 ERA) has a 5.00 ERA in 12 career starts against the Dodgers.
Advertisement
The Dodger bullpen also did a good job of keeping this one close.
Hammel allowed just a bloop single with two outs in the first inning on a ball that Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward might have lost in the sun.
The Cubs bullpen knew what to do. The other start in that span was a lackluster loss to the Cubs in which he lasted only 1 2/3 innings and allowed five runs. Seven flawless innings in what became a Monday evening role reversal.
Dodgers: OF Trayce Thompson, who left Saturday’s game in NY with lower back soreness, was 100 percent and available off the bench, according to Roberts. “It’s unfortunate what happened to Hammel, but we passed the torch to Woodie, and Woodie mowed them down”. Relievers Ralph Hamner (7 1/3 innings) and Hank Borowy (one inning) tossed 8 1/3 no-hit innings in relief of Bob Rush. So, yeah, it’s just one of those games. Jake Arrieta toes the rubber against the visiting Dodgers on Tuesday night. “I just wanted to give him (Thompson) another day and give C.C.an opportunity”, Roberts said.
The Cubs loaded the bases with one out in the second but came up empty as Hammel struck out looking and Zobrist struck out swinging on a 2-2 pitch. On Saturday in New York, Noah Syndergaard was ejected for throwing at Chase Utley. Historically, the Dodgers have been doughty on the May holiday, with a 14-6 record, the best in baseball, on Memorial Day since 1993.
But Monday’s early exit from the starter ended up being the worst possible scenario. Maddon said he hoped Fowler would return to the lineup Tuesday.
The Cubs became baseball’s first team to improve to 20 games over.500. Fixing their on-again, off-again pattern has become the chief priority.
“Now the next goal is 25, ” manager Joe Maddon said. Here’s some video of the whole thing, and at one point in this video you see Trevor Cahill head down to the bullpen to start warming up. Yeah, he threw well. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a month where I’ve hit this well”.
The Dodgers checked out of a hotel in NY late Sunday night and into a hotel in Chicago early Monday morning. In order to compensate for the quick turnaround, the Dodgers didn’t take batting practice, altering their pregame routine.
“Nothing prepares you for it, at least they give you as much time as you want to make sure you’re loose”, Wood said. “So we had to get him out of there”. We didn’t prepare like we normally would.
Advertisement
“It’s the consistency of all my pitches, to get ahead and throw all three when and where I want them”, Wood told MLB’s official website. A Jason Heyward dribbler scored Zobrist and he made it to the first as Gonzalez had no play. The third baseman said he will be examined by a specialist after missing his third straight game Monday. “You still have a chance to win three ballgames”.
