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 Chris Coghlan and Luis Valbuena homered, and the Chicago Cubs
posted a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers before a crowd of
44,713 at Dodger Stadium.
The Cubs, the last-place team in the National League Central, took
two of three from the NL West-leading Dodgers, who beat them in nine
of the previous 10 meetings before the weekend series.
Chicago right-hander Edwin Jackson gave up two runs on seven hits
with six strikeouts and no walks -- he was averaging four per game
-- in six innings. Jackson (6-11) completed at least six innings for
the first time in five starts.
"Sometimes, the ball rolls in your favor," Jackson said. "We had
some great defense behind us. You can't do it all by yourself when
you're on the mound."
Winning the series in Los Angeles provided a significant boost for
the Cubs, according to Jackson.
 "We came in against a tough team coming off a (six-game) winning
streak," Jackson said. "For us to come in and take two of three and
win the series, even after battling them last night, they won the
game, but our team came in and it was a fight to the end. It's good
for us to come in and take victories like this and a series like
this."
Chicago's lone loss in the series occurred Saturday night, when
Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez hit a walk-off, three-run homer in
the 12th inning for a 5-2 win.
On Sunday, the Cubs took the lead in the fifth inning and never
trailed again.
"We played a tough three-game series here," Chicago manager Rick
Renteria said. "Fortunately for us, we came out with two of three."
Dodgers starter Josh Beckett (6-6) allowed three runs on six hits
with six strikeouts and three walks in four-plus innings. He threw
94 pitches (53 strikes). Beckett hadn't faced the Cubs since August
2005, but he lost his fifth consecutive start to them.
"Since he's come off the (disabled list), he hasn't been OK,"
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
Beckett missed the minimum 15 days with a sore left hip before being
activated July 22. He has two no-decisions and a loss in his three
starts since then and hasn't managed to pitch more than 4 1/3
innings.
The Cubs (47-63) scored first. With one out in the first inning,
first baseman Anthony Rizzo doubled down the left field line to
drive in left fielder Coghlan, who led off the game with a double.
Coghlan finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs.
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The Dodgers (63-49) opened the bottom of the inning with three
consecutive hits, getting a double by second baseman Justin Turner
and singles by right fielder Yasiel Puig and first baseman Adrian
Gonzalez. Gonzalez settled for a base hit despite lining a shot off
the wall in right. However, Turner didn't pick up the drive and had
to hold at third. Ramirez grounded into a double play, allowing
Turner to score, but that was the only run the Los Angeles managed
in the inning.
After Jackson led off the fifth inning with a double, Coghlan ripped
a two-run homer to left off Beckett for a 3-1 Chicago advantage.
Beckett was done when second baseman Arismendy Alcantara followed
with single to right.
Dodger center fielder Matt Kemp's solo blast to left with two outs
in the sixth sliced the Chicago lead to 3-2. It was Kemp's 13th home
run of the season and his fifth in the past six games.
Rizzo robbed left fielder Carl Crawford in the seventh, leaping to
snare his line drive and double off catcher Drew Butera at second
base.
The Cubs added three runs in the eighth after reliever Brandon
League opened the inning by issuing three straight walks. An RBI
groundout by catcher John Baker and a two-run single by pinch hitter
Starlin Castro sealed the deal for Chicago.
Valbuena, the Cubs' third baseman, hit a solo home run in the ninth
off reliever Chris Perez.
NOTES: Dodgers LHP J.P. Howell hasn't allowed a run in his past 16
appearances (12 2/3 innings). He threw a scoreless seventh inning
Sunday. ... Cubs LF Chris Coghlan, who was moved to the leadoff spot
Sunday, reached base in 27 of the last 29 games, hitting safely in
25 of those, including the past six in a row. ... After an off day
Monday, the Cubs begin a three-game set in Denver against the
Colorado Rockies. ... The Dodgers host the Los Angeles Angels for
the first two games of a four-game series Monday and Tuesday, then
visit Angel Stadium for the final two Wednesday and Thursday.
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