|
 Some of the credit goes to pregame video work.
"That plays a big part but I also faced him last year in Double-A
when he was on a rehab start," Bryant said. "I kind of went into the
game with a general idea of what some of his pitches look like."
Bryant clubbed a two-run homer off Kershaw in the third with two out
and two strikes. He added a solo shot off left-handed reliever Adam
Liberatore in the eighth for his first career multi-homer game as
the Cubs beat the Dodgers 4-2 in the opener of a four-game Wrigley
Field series.
Bryant, who now has 10 homers, also collected three RBIs. His
eighth-inning shot to the left-field bleachers opened up a three-run
lead.
Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson greeted Cubs right-handed
reliever Jason Motte with a solo home run -- his 19th -- to center
in the ninth to trim the Chicago lead to 4-2.
Chicago left-handed reliever Travis Wood (4-3) pitched 3 1/3 innings
for the victory. He allowed one hit, struck out four and walked
three.
Cubs left-handed starter Tsuyoshi Wada worked two-plus innings
before leaving the game trailing 1-0 after suffering a cramp in his
left deltoid.
Left fielder Matt Szczur, called up earlier Monday from Triple-A
Iowa, made it a 3-1 game with a solo home run to left to open the
seventh inning.
Kershaw (5-5) left after the seventh, allowing three runs on four
hits while striking out nine and walking two.
He also had a lengthy wait in the seventh when some of Wrigley
Field's lights went out in advance of an approaching storm while the
Cubs objected to playing without full illumination.
"It's always frustrating to lose," said Kershaw. "You just wish they
were doubles instead of homers. But it happens sometimes. You say
you can live with solo homers, but a two-run homer with two outs and
two strikes is tough there."
He missed a chance for 10 or more strikeouts in four straight
starts.
Shortstop Enrique Hernandez slammed a first-pitch solo home run to
left off Wada to open the third. It was the third homer of the
season for Hernandez, who was filling in with Jimmy Rollins sitting
out a start.
Wada then gave up a single to catcher A.J. Ellis and abruptly
departed with cramping in his left deltoid.
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"The home-run pitch was like something I've never seen him throw,"
Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "The life was not there at the end.
... It didn't look right. That's not how he throws the baseball.
Fortunately he fessed up. You don't want a guy to stay out there in
those circumstances and have more runs score."
Wood was called in as replacement and turned a Kershaw bunt into a
1-6-4 double play.
Wada allowed two hits and one run and struck out one in his two-plus
innings.
Bryant gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third with a
two-run homer that landed a dozen rows into the right-field
bleachers and scored center fielder Dexter Fowler. Bryant's homer,
his ninth of the season, came on a 1-2 pitch from Kershaw.
Fowler left the game in the fifth with an apparent left ankle
sprain.
NOTES: The Dodgers activated RHP Joel Peralta from the disabled list
after he was out since late April due to right shoulder soreness and
a pinched nerve in his neck. Los Angeles also called up LHP Ian
Thomas from Oklahoma City and optioned RHP Matt West and LHP Daniel
Coulombe to the Triple-A club. ... Despite having three hits Sunday
and eight hits in his past 24 at-bats, Los Angeles SS Jimmy Rollins
was out of the starting lineup Monday. ... In the second game of the
four-game series, Los Angeles RHP Zack Greinke (5-2, 1.81 ERA) will
oppose Chicago RHP Jason Hammel (5-2, 2.89 ERA) on Tuesday. ... Two
rehabbing Cubs made appearances at Double-A Tennessee on Sunday. 3B
Mike Olt (right wrist fracture) went 1-for-3 with a double, two
walks and two runs. RHP Neil Ramirez (right shoulder inflammation)
faced three batters and struck out all three.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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