Cubs chase Kershaw early, get sweep of Dodgers
Bregman error costly in road loss to N.Y. Yankees
CHICAGO — Clayton Kershaw lasted one inning in the shortest start of his stellar career in the opener, Trevor Bauer didn’t get through the fifth in the nightcap, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 Tuesday to sweep a split doubleheader.
David Bote, who tagged Kershaw for a three-run double in a 7-1 win, delivered a game-ending single in the ninth inning of the nightcap.
Kris Bryant started the inning on second and moved up on Anthony Rizzo’s grounder. Bote singed to right on a 2-2 pitch from Garrett Cleavinger (0-2) for his fourth career walk-off hit.
The Cubs squeezed this one out even though they were 2 for 20 with runners in scoring position.
Bote’s hit gave Justin Steele (1-0) his first career win. And Chicago took two from the World Series champions after losing seven of nine.
After Kershaw got tagged for four runs, Bauer threw 90 pitches in 4⅓ innings. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner allowed one run and four hits while striking out seven as the Dodgers lost for the eighth time in 10 games.
Jason Heyward gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead when he homered leading off the fourth.
Max Muncy tied it with his drive against Chicago closer Craig Kimbrel in the seventh, forcing extra innings. Pinch-hitter Justin Turner put Los Angeles on top 3-1 in the eighth with a two-run homer against Dillon Maples.
But the Cubs answered in the bottom half. Javier Báez launched a two-run drive against Mitch White with two out.
Chicago’s Keegan Thompson pitched twohit ball over 3⅔ scoreless innings in his first career start and second appearance.
Exactly 11 years after he went just 1⅓ innings against Milwaukee in what was his shortest start, Kershaw (4-3) didn’t last long in the first game.
GIANTS 12-6, ROCKIES 4-8: In Denver, Charlie Blackmon hit a three-run, two-out homer off Camilo Doval (0-1) to cap a comeback from a 6-2 in the final inning, giving Colorado a doubleheader split.
Brandon Belt hit a go-ahead single and a grand slam in a 10-run first inning of a doubleheader opener. Belt homered in the second game and had seven RBIs in the doubleheader.
BRAVES 6, NATIONALS 1: In Washington, Huascar Ynoa (3-1) hit a grand slam and allowed an unearned run and four hits in seven innings, leading Atlanta to a victory over Washington.
Ynoa drove a fastball from Tanner Rainey 427 feet to center field in the sixth inning for the first grand slam by a major league pitcher since Cincinnati’s Anthony DeSclafani on June 23, 2018.
MARLINS 9, DIAMONDBACKS 3: In Miami, NL RBIs leader Jesús Aguilar delivered a tiebreaking single in a six-run eighth against Kevin Ginkel (0-1) following Miguel Rojas’ double, Corey Dickerson followed with an infield single, and catcher Stephen Vogt’s throwing error allowed Aguilar to score all the way from first.
PHILLIES 6, BREWERS 5: In Philadelphia, Andrew McCutchen had a pair of solo homers and Brad Miller hit a three-run shot to back Aaron Nola (3-1), who struck out 10.
YANKEES 7, ASTROS 3: In New York, boos and bad words streamed loudly from the seats in Houston’s return to Yankee Stadium, and New York got a homer and four hits from Giancarlo Stanton to sate those spiteful fans.
Bregman homered in the first inning to momentarily hush those haters, but his error in the sixth with the game tied 3-3 doomed Houston.
RANGERS 6, TWINS 3: In Minneapolis, Adolis García hit a two-run homer in the 10th off Brandon Waddell (0-1), his third hit.
RED SOX 11, TIGERS 7: In Boston, Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run homer, Nick Pivetta struck out eight over five innings and Boston sent Detroit to its sixth straight loss.
Alex Verdugo, Hunter Renfroe and Kiké Hernández also went deep for Boston, which led 8-2 after three innings. The Tigers have lost 11 of 12, dropping to a big league-worst 8-22.
WHITE SOX 9, REDS 0: In Cincinnati, Dylan Cease (2-0) pitched one-hit ball for six innings, struck out 11 and got two doubles and a single in his first pro plate appearances. Cease became the first American League pitcher since Jarrod Washburn in 2001 to have a three-hit game.
INDIANS 7, ROYALS 3: In Kansas City, Mo., Harold Ramirez hit a go-ahead double in the eighth, pinch-hitter Jake Bauers added a two-run homer later in the inning and Cleveland rallied from a 3-0 deficit.
Strong bullpen work by Nick Sandlin, Nick Wittgren (1-1) and Cal Quantrill shut out the Royals over the final four innings as the Indians improved to 14-1 this season when scoring at least four runs.
ATHLETICS 4, BLUE JAYS 1: In Oakland, Calif., Mitch Moreland hit a two-run homer on the heels of Jed Lowrie’s two-run double in the second to back Cole Irvin (3-3), who allowed three hits and struck out a careerhigh nine over eight scoreless innings.