Pasadena Now at the Ball Park: Dodgers Drop Cubs, 4-1

The Dodgers continued their convenient current winning streak, defeating the tough Chicago Cubs 4-1 tonight at Dodger Stadium behind the pitching of ace Clayton Kershaw. The game is the first of a five-game home stand, with the Giants coming to town on Monday for two games.

Kershaw fanned a a total of 14 batters, tying his best effort so far this season. It’s his 11th win of the season and he leads the Majors with 236 strikeouts and has recorded 10 or more strikeouts in 11 efforts this season.

“I dont think about records and those kinds of things,” he said after the game, shrugging off his achievements, saying, “Just as long as we win, Im happy.”

Newish Dodger Chase Utley filled out his uniform well in his first home game as a Dodger, banging out a triple in the third inning, and hustling home after a throw to third from Moreno went wide of the mark in the sixth.The Dodgers incidentally scored two twice on two wild pitches in a busy sixth inning in which the Dodgers scored three runs.

Anthony Rizzo scored the only run for the Cubs with a fourth inning homer to deep, deep center.

Meanwhile, legendary Dodger Announcer Vin Scully “announced”  that he would return for yet another season in 2016.

Here’s how we blogged it tonight:

 

The Cubbies are in town to face the Dodgers tonight in the first game of a three-game series. The Blue will send ace Clayton Kershaw to the mound tonight against Jason Hammell.

The Dodgers just completed a three-game sweep of the Cincinnatti Reds in Ohio after a disastrous five-game losing streak that included being at the losing end of a no-hitter against the Astros.

By the way, it’s about 88 degrees on the field at the moment, down from about 100 earlier today.

FIRST INNING

Top

Dexter Fowler hits the first pitch at centerfielder Kike Hernandez, who races in to snag it. One down.

Chris Denofria goes to 2-2, then whiff. Two down, so to speak.

Kris Bryant looks at two quick strikes. Down goes Kris Bryant.

Cubs 0, Dodgers coming up.

BOTTOM
Jimmy Rollins is 1-0, is 1-1, is 2-2, is 3-2, is out at first. (No relation.)

Newbie Dodger Chase Utley grounds out to first.

Adrian Gonzales flies out to right.

<em>It’s Zero and Zero</em>

 

SECOND INNING
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Anthony Rizzo strikes so out.

Starlin Castro gets all thrown out at first on an excellement play by Justin Turner.

Matt Szcur doubles to center.

Miguel Montero successfully ends the Cub threat by striking out.

BOTTOM

Justin Turner gets to 2-2, and then he gets to 3-2, then gets beat to first base, in which case he is so out.

Andre Ethier doubles to deep left.

Carl Crawford is cool walkin’ to first.

Yasmani Grandal (no relation)striiiiiiiiiikes out.

Kike Hernandez swings again, and again, and again….

Dodgers 0, Cubs 0

THIRD INNING
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Jason Hammel grounds out to first.

Addison Russell is way out.

Dexter Fowler is looking at 1-2, then beats out a fine throw by Chase Utley.

Chris Dinorfia hits into the third out.

Dodgers 0, Cubs 0

Bottom

Kershaw strikes out.

Rollins singles to first.

Chase Utley goes 1-1, then triples, scoring Rollins.

Adrian Gonzales is out.

Justin Turner wears a beard. He goes to 2-1. He goes to 2-2, then is out.

<em>Dodgers 1, Cubs 0</em>

FOURTH INNING

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Kris Bryant is frankly, out. By a mile.

Anthony Rizzo sends a solo shot to deep center field. His 26th home run. The count was 3-2. We are tied up, in a way.

Starlin Castro successfully strikes out.

Matt Szczur goes to 2-1, then 2 -2 with two outs. Then hits a textbook little league grounder to third. Out.

Dodgers 1, Cubs 1

BOTTOM

Andre Ethier flies out to the left of left.

Carl Crawford hits gets to 2-1, hits a bullet just foul, then strikes himself out.

Yasmani Grandal (Still no relation) strikes out.

Dodgers 1, Cubs 1

FIFTH INNING

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Miguel Montero tries to run out a third strike. Is shot down by Grandal. Not literally.

Jason Hammel cooperates by striking out.

 

Addison Russell goes to 1-2, then flies out.

Dodgers 1, Cubs 1

Bottom

Kiké Hernandez flies out to center where a man with a glove is waiting, all ready and everything.

Kershaw grounds out to first.

Rollins sits on 1-2, then strikes out, like that.

<em>Dodgers 1, Cubs 1</em>

SIXTH INNING

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Cubs go quietly in the top of the sixth.

BOTTOM

The Dodgers take the lead when catcher Montero overthrows third, allowing Utley to scamper home. Another run scored on a wild pitch. We’re still here.

Travis Woods is in to pitch for the Cubs.

Carl Crawford singles to right.

Grandal earns a walk.

Hernandez gets to 2-1, then singles up the middle scoring Crawford from second.

Kershaw flies out to right.

SEVENTH INNING

<em>Dodgers 4, Cubs 1</em>

SEVENTH INNING

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Anthony Rizzo of The Only Cub Run goes 1-2, strikes out.

Starlin Castro strikes out.

Matt Szczur earns himself a nice little walk.

Montero flies out to short left.

<em>Dodgers 4, Cubs 1</em>

Bottom

Clayton (no relation) Richards is now pitching for Chicago.

Rollins loses a foot race to first base.

Chase Utley finds himself the victim of some excellent center fielding by Fowler, in center field, of all places.

EIGHTH INNING

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Tommy La Stella flies out to center.

Another strikeout for Kershaw. The honor goes to Addison Russell.

Dexter Fowler goes to 0-2, then 1-2, then flies out to center.

Dodgers 4, Cubs 1

Bottom

Fernando Rodney is now pitching for Los Cubbies.

Scott Van Slyke strolls to first.

Carl Crawford is waiting at the plate when a wild pitch bounces off Montero’s foot, and sends Van Slyke to second.

Crawford grounds out to first.

Grandal grounds out to first to end the inning.

Dodgers 4, Cubs 1

NINTH INNING

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Kenley Jansen is in to pitch.

Denofria grounds out to first.

Kris Bryant also gets fanned.

Rizzo hits into the last out of the game. Cue “I Love LA.”

Dodgers 4, Cubs 1 FINAL