Maeda shines as Dodgers hold off Cubs, 2-1

[June 26, 2018]    Kenta Maeda dominated for seven innings and Enrique Hernandez and Chris Taylor hit home runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers held on for a 2-1 victory over the visiting Chicago Cubs.

Maeda (5-4) gave up just three hits, all singles, with nine strikeouts. He walked one batter as he recovered from a rough start at Chicago last Tuesday in which he lasted 3 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on five hits.

Kenley Jansen gave up a run in the ninth inning on a sacrifice fly from Javier Baez, but was able to complete his 20th save in 22 chances.

Cubs starter Duane Underwood Jr. escaped a jam in the opening inning of his major league career to give up just one run on two hits over four innings.

Underwood (0-1) loaded the bases after a 14-pitch walk to Matt Kemp, but came away unscathed when Yasmani Grandal hit a bases-loaded fly ball to the warning track in center field. The right-hander needed 41 pitches to get out of the first inning.

Hernandez connected on his third home run in two days when he went deep into the Dodgers' bullpen in left field in the second inning. It was Hernandez's career-best 13th home run of the season and sixth since June 10.

The Dodgers were unable to add an insurance run in the sixth inning. Justin Turner singled and tried to score on a double from Cody Bellinger that left fielder Kyle Schwarber knocked down but did not field cleanly. Baez cut down Turner at the plate from shortstop with a perfect relay throw.

Taylor, who did not start for the fourth consecutive game because of a sore left hamstring, delivered a pinch-hit homer to lead off the eighth. It was Taylor's ninth home run of the season and the second pinch-hit home run of his career.

The Dodgers improved to 16-5 in June and have now hit 48 home runs in the month. The club record for home runs in a single month is 53, set in June of 2017. They hit 49 home runs in a month twice in 1953.

The Cubs lost their fifth consecutive game after winning two-of-three in a series against the Dodgers last week in Chicago. The Cubs were swept in a four-game series at Cincinnati over the weekend to a Reds team that is in last place in the National League Central.

--Field Level Media

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