CHICAGO (AP) – Jose Quintana pitched seven crisp innings in his third straight win, and the Chicago Cubs used a fast start to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 on Tuesday night.
Willson Contreras hit a three-run double in Chicago’s four-run first, and Anthony Rizzo added a two-run drive in the second. Javier Baez had two hits, a memorable infield single in the second and a solo shot in the seventh.
It was more than enough support for Quintana (3-1), who turned in another gem in the Cubs’ sixth win in seven games. The veteran left-hander allowed two runs and four hits while improving to 3-0 with a sparkling 0.86 ERA since he was hit hard in a loss at Milwaukee on April 5.
NL West-leading Los Angeles had won seven of eight. But the Dodgers were unable to recover after Kenta Maeda (3-2) struggled early on.
With one out and runners on second and third in the first, Baez walked on a close full-count pitch that Maeda wanted badly. After Kyle Schwarber struck out swinging, Contreras doubled down the third-base line and Daniel Descalso tacked on an RBI double for a 4-0 lead.
Rizzo went deep with one out in the second, sending an opposite-field drive into the bleachers in left. Baez then hit a bouncer up the line and juked inside to avoid the tag of first baseman David Freese, delighting the crowd of 35,536 on a cool night at Wrigley Field.
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts argued the call first with first base umpire Chad Whitson and then with home plate umpire Ted Barrett, but Baez stayed on first.
The Dodgers wasted a couple of late chances to get back in the game. Pinch-hitter Max Muncy struck out looking on Quintana’s 114th pitch, stranding two runners in the seventh. A.J. Pollock struck out and Cody Bellinger grounded out with the bases loaded in the eighth.
