LDN - Sports

Bryant homers twice to lead Cubs' rally past Dodgers

[August 27, 2016] LOS ANGELES -- Kris Bryant heard the MVP chants loud and clear. With the crack of the bat, Bryant provided a large and vocal contingent of Chicago Cubs' fans the scenario they wanted to see.

"It's a testament to our fans and we travel really well," Bryant said. "It's nice to see a lot of Cubs' uniforms in the stands. We definitely notice it."

Bryant homered twice, including a game-winning two-run shot in the 10th, rallying the Cubs to a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night before 48,609 at Dodger Stadium.

"It obviously didn't feel like it was winnable for us though we were only down by a run at one point," said Bryant, who scored three times to increase his NL-leading run total to 107. "I don't know, it was kind of one of those weird games, but this is our team and we did it last year."

Bryant, who went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, tagged Dodgers reliever Adam Liberatore (2-1) after Dexter Fowler singled to start the inning. It was his National League-best 35th home run, boosting the Cubs (82-45) to their fourth straight victory.

"This was a team win. (Bryant) obviously put us in a pretty good position to win the game," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Those balls were really properly struck."

Reliever Travis Wood (4-0) worked a perfect ninth for the decision. Aroldis Chapman earned his 30th save with a scoreless 10th.

Los Angeles (71-57), which has lost two in a row, had its lead in the National League West dwindle to a game with the San Francisco Giants beating the Atlanta Braves.

"It was a tough loss," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "It's a game we wanted to win."

Adrian Gonzalez led off the seventh with a solo blast off reliever Justin Grimm for his 16th homer and a 4-2 Dodgers' lead.

Bryant smacked a solo shot to open the eighth to cut the deficit to one.

Jayson Hayward had a leadoff double in the ninth off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen and advanced to third when catcher Carlos Ruiz was forced to throw to first on a strikeout of Jorge Soler. Heyward scored on a Jansen wild pitch to force extra innings. It was the sixth blown save in 43 opportunities for Jansen.

"Huge," Maddon said of Hayward's hit. "That gets the whole thing started, and that's him. The guy's a winner."

Roberts said Ruiz's unfamiliarity -- the catcher was making his Dodgers' debut after being acquired in a trade with the Phillies for A.J. Ellis and a minor league pitcher -- with Jansen might have contributed to the pitch getting by him.

"I'll just take it like a man and move forward," said a clearly frustrated Jansen after the game. "We'll get the next one."

Dodgers starter Bud Norris allowed two runs on three hits with six strikeouts and four walks in five innings but did not figure into the decision.

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Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) and first baseman Anthony Rizzo (44) celebrate the 6-4 victory against Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Cubs lefty Mike Montgomery gave up three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and four walks in five innings.

Ruiz went 1-for-3 with a walk and was hit by a pitch.

Addison Russell singled home Bryant for a 1-0 Chicago lead in the first inning.

The Dodgers answered by scoring three runs without the ball leaving the infield. In the second, Chase Utley's groundout plated Enrique Hernandez to tie the score.

Justin Turner's groundout in the third scored Howie Kendrick for a 2-1 Dodgers' edge.

In the fourth, Utley scored when Kendrick hit into a double play for a 3-1 advantage.

The Cubs sliced the gap to a run in the fifth, when Anthony Rizzo hit a run-scoring single to drive in Montgomery.

However, Utley prevented any further damage by robbing Ben Zobrist of a base hit with a diving snag and throwing from his back to retire him.

NOTES: Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (herniated disk) threw a 60-pitch bullpen session Friday. He also spoke publicly for the first time about the trade of close friend and C A.J. Ellis to the Phillies for C Carlos Ruiz. "It's not going to be easy," Kershaw said of moving forward without Ellis. ... Los Angeles LHP Brett Anderson (blister, left index finger) also threw a bullpen session. ... The Dodgers recalled RHP Brock Stewart and optioned C Shawn Zarraga to Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... The Cubs are 4-40 when trailing heading into the ninth inning. ... Chicago RHP Jason Hammel (13-6, 3.07 ERA) opposes Dodgers LHP Julio Urias (4-2, 3.95) on Saturday.

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