Cubs Begin The Series in Dodgertown With a 3-2 Loss

The Chicago Cubs continue their West Coast trip, shifting from Arizona to Los Angeles. Having swept the Diamondbacks, they began their four-game series against the Dodgers before the All-Star Game with a 3-2 loss.

In a night starting pitcher Randy Wells (4-7) gave the team a quality start, the Cubs could not find the way to solve Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw.  The Cubs left their hot bats in Phoenix, only scoring a mere two runs in a game that if they won, they would have a four-game winning streak. Nevertheless, it was a very good pitching duo between two starting pitchers. Wells, the losing pitcher, only gave up three runs in seven innings, scattering six hits, striking out eight, and walking one. But it was not good enough as starting pitcher, left-hander Kershaw conceded two runs in eight and closer Jonathan Broxton came in the ninth to shutdown the Cubs.

Dodgers scored first in the first inning; leadoff shortstop Rafael Furcal hit a double to center field, Andre Ethier grounded into a double-play only to have James Loney scored Furcal with a single. The Cubs responded right in the second inning. LF Alfonso Soriano tied the game up by sending Kershaw’s 92-mph fastball into the left-field bleacher, his 15^th home run on the year. Bad base running halted the Cubs to score more in the third. With one out, Ryan Theriot got picked-off at first base. Marlon Byrd grounded into a 9-3-6-3 rundown to finish off their inning. They managed to score their second and last run in the fourth; 3B Aramis Ramirez doubled to have C Geovany Soto sent him home with a single, his 24^th RBI of the year. 

The Dodgers had the last word. The Cubs managed to keep the score 2-1 until the seventh inning in which the Dodgers scored their game-winning run. With C Russell Martin on second base, Furcal hit his sixth home run of the year off Randy Wells. He finished off the night scoring twice, producing two runs in three hits. 

The winning pitcher, Kershaw (9-4), went deep into the eight giving up only two runs, striking out 11 Cubs and walking none. Broxton got his 19^th save of the year pitching the final inning. 

Cubs manager Lou Piniella will send southpaw Ted Lilly (3-7, 3.76) to the mound tomorrow, while Chad Billingsley (6-4, 4.06) will pitch for the Dodgers.