LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Busch went 4 for 5 with a homer and scored three runs, Cody Bellinger had three RBIs including a two-run homer, and the Chicago Cubs beat the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers 10-4 on Monday night.
The Cubs' offense broke out for 16 hits — with every player getting at least one — coming off a series loss to the AL East-leading New York Yankees in which they had a combined seven hits and two runs in three games.
Bellinger and Busch gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead with two outs in the first inning against their old team.
“It was pretty awesome,” said Busch, a rookie who was drafted by the Dodgers in 2019 and traded to the Cubs last offseason. “Just trying to put a ton of pressure on them every inning.”
Bellinger slugged a first-pitch, two-run homer off Walker Buehler (1-5) that also scored Ian Happ, who singled leading off. The ball traveled 430 feet — halfway up the right-field pavilion — for his longest homer of the season and drew cheers from Chicago fans in the crowd of 50,495. Busch added an RBI single.
Bellinger smiled as he circled the bases, taking in the scene on a 94-degree night with a strong, hot wind blowing the flags in center field.
“A lot of good memories here. I love the fans and the people and the stadium,” he said. “It’s a weird feeling but it’s a cool feeling and I always love coming back.”
Busch went deep down the left-field line with two strikes in the fourth, extending Chicago’s lead to 4-0.
“He’s been unbelievable for us,” Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks said. “Obviously, the pro at-bat every single time. Huge game that was really fun to see. He’s been a cornerstone for us.”
Hendricks walked the bases loaded with two outs in the third — when Shohei Ohtani stole his 47th base of the season — but Max Muncy lined out to Busch at first base on the first pitch to end the threat.
Hendricks allowed two runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings. Keegan Thompson (2-1) worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief for the win.
“Every single at-bat, two-strike hits, adding onto the lead, bullpen coming in, some unbelievable plays on defense, all around just a really good game for us,” Hendricks said. “We know we've got to pile up some wins.”
Buehler gave up five runs and nine hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked one.
“I screwed us from the jump. Obviously three runs in the first, it kind of sucked the energy out of the building,” he said. “The first inning has been a weird thing for me this year. It's a lot to ask of the rest of our guys to dig me out of a hole every game.”
The Dodgers scored twice in the fifth on Mookie Betts ’ RBI single and Muncy’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly to trail 4-2. Hendricks left after loading the bases for the second time.
The Cubs extended their lead to 7-2 in the sixth on Busch's RBI single and Miguel Amaya's two-run single off reliever Anthony Banda with two outs. Busch, like Bellinger, finished with three RBIs.
The Dodgers closed to 7-4 in the seventh on Betts' two-run homer and had the potential tying run at the plate before Shawn Armstrong struck out Gavin Lux to end the inning.
Busch scored on Pete Crow-Armstrong's sacrifice fly in the eighth, and Bellinger added an RBI single in a two-run ninth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: LHP Justin Steele (tendinitis) will throw a bullpen on the road trip if all goes well.
Dodgers: OF Teoscar Hernández (bruised foot) did on-field drills with the hope he can return Tuesday. ... LHP Clayton Kershaw (big toe) worked off a portable throwing ramp in tennis shoes. ... RHP Tyler Glasnow (tendinitis) will throw a bullpen Tuesday and if all goes well a simulated game Friday in Atlanta. ... RHP Brusdar Graterol (hamstring) is expected to be active Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Cubs: LHP Shota Imanaga (12-3, 2.99 ERA) combined with two relievers on the 18th no-hitter in franchise history last week against Pittsburgh.
Dodgers: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-2, 2.92) starts Tuesday after missing nearly three months with a rotator cuff strain. He's expected to throw three innings.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb