The Los Angeles Dodgers sent Clayton Kershaw and Trevor Bauer to the mound, hoping two of baseball’s best pitchers would put the brakes on this recent skid. Instead, they came away with two more losses.
Kershaw lasted one inning in the shortest start of his stellar career, Bauer didn’t get through the fifth in the nightcap, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Dodgers 7-1 and 4-3 Tuesday to sweep a day-night doubleheader.
“I think that all of our starters are pretty good,” manager Dave Roberts said. “For us to have those guys take the mound and not win a baseball game, it’s frustrating regardless of who’s starting that game.”
David Bote tagged Kershaw for a three-run double and 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 that 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.
“It’s a long season still, a long way to go,” Bote said. “You’re gonna look at positives from it. We’re doing a lot of things well on both sides of the ball, and we’re gonna keep continuing to get better.”
After Kershaw allowed four runs, Bauer threw 90 pitches in 4 1/3 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.
“Great seasons are defined by how well you manage your bad (outings),” Bauer said. “You don’t feel great every time out. But if you can minimize your damage in the bad ones, then on the ones where you feel good or great, you’ll just roll.”
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.
Edwin Ríos scored on a wild pitch in the eighth before pinch-hitter Justin Turner hit a solo homer against Dillon Maples to give Los Angeles a 3-1 lead.
But the Cubs answered in the bottom half. Javier Báez — who entered in the sixth — launched a two-run drive against Mitch White with two outs.
Chicago’s Keegan Thompson pitched two-hit ball over 3 2/3 scoreless innings in his first career start and second appearance.
Exactly 11 years after he went just 1 1/3 innings against Milwaukee in what was his shortest start, Kershaw (4-3) didn’t last long in the first game.
The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner gave up four runs and four hits, including an RBI single by Rizzo and a big hit by Bote. He faced nine batters in a 39-pitch inning as his ERA rose from 2.09 to 2.95.
“It wasn’t good,” Kershaw said. “There’s really nothing you can do at this point. It’s embarrassing. No excuses. I was horrible. I just put our team in a really bad spot with a doubleheader.”
Kyle Hendricks (2-3) went seven innings in his sixth career complete game and the longest outing for the Cubs this season. He gave up seven hits, struck out six and walked one while lowering his ERA from 7.54 to 6.07.
TRANSACTIONS
The Dodgers called up Luke Raley to serve as the 27th player for the second game, while the Cubs recalled right-handed pitcher Kohl Stewart from Triple-A Iowa.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: Roberts said an MRI on RHP Brusdar Graterol (right forearm tightness) showed no structural damage. “The findings — or lack thereof — was good news,” he said.
Cubs: The Chicago Cubs placed former NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta (right thumb abrasion), 2B Nico Hoerner (strained left forearm) and reliever Dan Winkler (right triceps tendinitis) on the 10-day IL. … Manager David Ross said OF Ian Happ (bruised ribs), taken from the field in a cart following a collision with Hoerner during Sunday’s loss at Cincinnati, was improving though still “super sore” and considered day to day. He added that tests showed Happ did not suffer a concussion.
UP NEXT
RHP Walker Buehler (1-0, 3.16 ERA) starts for Los Angeles while RHP Adbert Alzolay (1-2, 4.71) fills in for Arrieta.