Lester, Ross help Cubs beat Phillies

[May 28, 2016]  CHICAGO -- Batterymates Jon Lester and David Ross combined for big games but in different ways on a rain-plagued Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

Lester (5-3) bounced back from two recent poor pitching outings with a strong 6 1/3-inning effort in the Chicago Cubs' 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Ross clubbed his 100th career home run in the fourth inning -- a three-run blast that put some distance between the Cubs and the Phillies.

The victory was the third straight for Chicago (32-14) while Philadelphia (26-22) dropped its third in four games.

Friday's game officially lasted 3 hours, 4 minutes but also had a pair of rain delays that tacked on another 1 hour, 21 minutes.

Lester scattered six hits, struck out seven and walked a pair as he halted a personal two-game losing streak.

"Today (he) was more around the plate, forcing the ball into play," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "He threw a couple of pertinent curve balls, cutter was good and I thought he had a good fastball early on."

Ross, who typically catches Lester, also saw a big difference on Friday.

"I thought his stuff was better; it wasn't very sharp the last outing," Ross said. "He was locating up and down inside the plate."

Ross had a milestone day as his home run bounced off a left-field advertising sign and earned him a curtain call. Teammates Jorge Soler and Kris Bryant added solo shots.

"It's kind of cool to do it at home," Ross said. "When the fans are into it there's not a better feeling in the world when they bring that energy and are cheering for you."

Philadelphia left-hander Adam Morgan (1-3) took the loss in his sixth start since a late April call-up from Triple-A.

"Morgan didn't have it today," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin. "He threw some good changeups but quite a few bad ones. He really didn't have command of any of his pitches and he kind of struggled to make pitches when he needed to."

Soler's two-out single to left drove in Ben Zobrist for the game's first run in the opening inning. Zobrist had reached on a one-out double down the third-base line, extending his streak of reaching safely to 32 straight starts.

Back-to-back Cubs errors helped give Philadelphia an unearned run and the equalizer in the third.

Peter Bourjos led off the third with a single, picked up two bases on Cubs throwing errors and scored from third on Maikel Franco's one-out sacrifice fly to left.

Chicago jumped back ahead with a four-run fourth. Soler's lead-off homer, his fifth of the season, bounced off the left-field video board. With one out, Ross drove home Addison Russell and Javier Baez with his fourth homer of the season, giving the Cubs a 5-1 lead.

Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester (34) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

"You can overcome a solo home run but that home run by Ross was the one that got us out of the game," Mackanin said.

Bryant's homer to lead off the fifth gave the Cubs a 6-1 lead and ended the day for Morgan, who gave up six runs on eight hits, struck out three and walked one.

Maddon pulled Lester with one out in the seventh after he gave up a double to Odubel Herrera.

Reliever Pedro Strop threw one pitch before umpires stopped the game as skies opened, leading to a 56-minute rain delay.

When play resumed new Cubs pitcher Trevor Cahill gave up back-to-back singles, and Herrera scored from third on Franco's infield base hit to trim the margin to 6-2. Cahill escaped any more damage by striking out the next two batters.

Rain also halted the game for 37 minutes in the top of the ninth.

Cubs closer Hector Rondon faced three batters in a scoreless inning that lasted less than four minutes. He got Freddy Galvis to ground into a game-ending double play.

NOTES: The Phillies had a 5-2 record against the Cubs in 2015. ... Rehabbing OF Cody Asche (right oblique strain) and LHP Mario Hollands (Tommy John surgery) both moved to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday after respective outings in Class A and Double-A. Both opened the season on the disabled list. ... Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo had his first day off in 45 games on Friday as manager Joe Maddon picked Thursday's off day and Friday's game for a two-day break. ... Kris Bryant stepped in at first base in his place, his fourth defensive position of the season. ... The Cubs already have clinched the eighth straight month of .500 baseball or better during Maddon's first eight months. ... The Cubs are scheduled to send RHP Kyle Hendricks (2-4, 3.30 ERA) against Phillies RHP Jerad Eickhoff (2-6, 3.86 ERA) in Saturday's middle game.

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