Alex Verdugo lit a spark and the Los Angeles Dodgers relied on their bullpen to come away with a 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs. It snapped a two-game losing streak and gave the Dodgers a winning record on their seven-game road trip.
After managing just two hits against Jon Lester through four innings, the Dodgers capitalized on Verdugo’s leadoff triple in the fifth to break a scoreless tie. He then scored when Javier Baez booted a routine grounder.
Rocky Gale followed with a single to make it three consecutive batters reaching safely. Lester benefitted from Ross Stripling pulling back on a sacrifice bunt and swinging away, only to ground into a double play.