LDN - Sports

Cubs' Lester shuts down Mariners

[July 30, 2016] CHICAGO -- Jon Lester scattered four hits over six shutout innings while his Chicago Cubs teammates pounded out 14 hits in a 12-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday.

David Ross and Jason Heyward each homered, Kris Bryant and Javier Baez had three hits apiece, and Anthony Rizzo and Heyward each collected three RBIs as the Cubs (62-40) claimed their third straight win.

Lester (11-4) earned his second victory in his last three outings while walking two and striking out seven in the inter-league series opener.

The Mariners, making their first Wrigley Field visit since 2007, slipped to 51-50 as starter Hisashi Iwakuma (11-7) lasted just three innings. He gave up five earned runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out a pair.

The Cubs scored three times off Iwakuma in the second inning after putting runners at second and third with two outs following Lester's sacrifice bunt down the first-base line.

Chris Coghlan, activated off the 15-day disabled list hours earlier, singled up the middle to drive in Baez and Ross, and Bryant brought Coughlan home with a single to left.

Chicago made it 5-0 in the third as Heyward snapped out of a 5-for-46 (.108) slump with his first home run since June 11. The two-run shot to right also scored Ben Zobrist, who had reached on a double.

Iwakuma was replaced by Nathan Karns.

Ross made it 6-0 with his seventh homer of the year -- a solo shot off Karns to open the Cubs sixth.

Chicago then loaded the bases with none out as rain arrived, but not before Rizzo cleared the bases with a three-run double down the left-field line for a 9-0 lead.

That was it for Karns, who departed in favor of left-hander Vidal Nuno. Karns allowed five runs on three hits while walking three and striking out two in two innings of work.

Rizzo reached third on a Zobrist base hit and came home on Heyward's sacrifice fly to left as the lead reached double digits. Zobrist scored on a Baez base hit for an 11-0 lead.

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Lester did not return for the seventh inning and was replaced by reliever Justin Grimm.

Friday's game was delayed for one hour, 14 minutes in the middle of the seventh inning as rain swept through Chicago.

When play resumed, new Seattle reliever Tom Wilhelmsen promptly loaded the bases and Chicago added another run as Matt Szczur scored when Rizzo grounded into a double play.

The Mariners broke the shutout with two outs in the ninth when leadoff batter Shawn O'Malley's single off Cubs reliever Mike Montgomery drove in Leonys Martin from second base. Montgomery then loaded the bases for Robinson Cano, who grounded to second to end the game.

NOTES: The Mariners called up Cuban OF Guillermo Heredia from Triple-A Tacoma prior to Friday's game and optioned LHP David Rollins to Triple-A Tacoma. Heredia, 25, was batting .340 in 26 games at Tacoma. ... The three-game weekend series marks the Mariners' first trip to Wrigley Field since 2007, where they won just one of three games. ... Seattle sends LHP Wade Miley (6-8, 5.23 ERA) against Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (12-4, 2.76 ERA) in Saturday's middle game. ... Chicago activated OF Chris Coglan off the 15-day disabled list prior to Friday's game and optioned INF Tommy La Stella to Triple-A Iowa. Coghlan, who hit .155 in 70 games between Oakland and Chicago this season, was placed on the disabled list on July 3 with a right rib cage strain. ... Friday's contest marked regular-season game No. 21,000 in team history since first taking the field on April 25, 1876, at Louisville, a 4-0 Cubs win.

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