LDN - Sports

Padres hand Cubs fifth straight loss

[May 31, 2017] SAN DIEGO -- The name is spelled Dinelson Lamet. It is pronounced D-nelson la-met. And it might be worth remembering.

The 24-year-old right-hander held the Chicago Cubs to two runs over five innings Tuesday night to earn his second win in as many major league starts as the San Diego Padres scored a 6-2 victory and handed the reigning World Series champions a fifth straight loss.

Lamet allowed five hits and a walk while striking out eight.

San Diego's Austin Hedges drove in a career-high four runs with a two-run homer and a two-run double, and Hunter Renfroe hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in a four-run fifth inning.

The Padres scored a third straight win, a second straight over the struggling Cubs.

Chicago (25-26) slipped under .500 after collecting a total of nine hits in the first two games of the three-game series.

"Two runs yesterday, two today, it's been a very non-productive offensive trip," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "They did pitch well again. But we gave up the lead, and that was largely because we're not hitting like we can. ... It's a bad combination."

Maddon then spoke about Lamet and a Padres bullpen that has allowed one hit over nine scoreless innings in the series that ends Wednesday afternoon.

"Their starter was really good for a young man," said Maddon. "And their bullpen performed really well again."

Lamet became only the 13th pitcher in major league history to record eight strikeouts in each of his first two starts.

"He's got great stuff," Padres manager Andy Green said of Lamet. "We feel really good about what he is doing. The ball moves, and he has three above average major league pitches.

"We told Hedges before the game, 'Don't worry about the corners, just give him a target in the zone.' The biggest thing is his composure."

Lamet has a 2.70 ERA after 10 major league innings.

"I've been working on my slider, the changeup and pitching when there are runners on base," he said. "I feel a lot more confident.

"A pretty big mistake you can make is not trusting your pitches. I want to be aggressive. Today it started with what we did warming up in the bullpen."

Speaking of the bullpen, three Padres relievers held the Cubs to one hit and four baserunners over the final four innings. Right-hander Kirby Yates allowed a single to Jon Jay leading off the eighth, then retired the last eight Cubs he faced, four by strikeouts.

Cubs starter Eddie Butler (2-1) gave up all six runs on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

[to top of second column]

Padres catcher Austin Hedges (18) hits a two run RBI double during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Jason Heyward doubled inside the first base bag with two outs and scored when Willson Contreras' sharp grounder to third ate up Padres third baseman Cory Spangenberg for what was scored a run-scoring double.

Hedges put the Padres on top in the bottom of the inning with his ninth homer of the season after Franchy Cordero opened the inning with a single. Hedges drove a 1-1 pitch from Butler 404 feet to left.

Kyle Schwarber, who had had been hitless in his previous 13 at-bats, got the Cubs even in the top of the fifth with a 404-foot homer to right off Lamet on an 0-2 count.

The Padres broke the game open in the bottom of the inning.

Yangervis Solarte started the rally with a one-out single to center and moved to second on Wil Myers' single to right. Solarte and Myers both scored when Renfroe lined his double into the left field corner to break the tie.

After Cordero drew a walk, left-hander Brian Duensing replaced Butler and struck out Spangenberg for the second out. Hedges then followed Renfroe's lead and doubled into the left field corner, driving in Renfroe and the swift Cordero.

On both doubles into the corner, a Padre scored from first as Schwarber had trouble playing the carom and making a strong throw.

NOTES: Cubs INF/OF Ben Zobrist, a switch-hitter, has a sore left wrist, which is limiting him to hitting from the left side against right-handed hitters. ... Cubs manager Joe Maddon blamed RHP Jake Arrieta's slow start on the home run ball. Arrieta, who will start the Wednesday afternoon series finale, has a 4.92 ERA after 10 starts thanks to allowing 10 home runs. ... Padres rookie CF Manuel Margot had an MRI exam on his injured right calf Tuesday. Manager Andy Green said there was no structural damage, merely a buildup of inflammation and fluid in the muscle. ... San Diego RHP Jered Weaver, who is on the 10-day disabled list due to left hip inflammation, threw Tuesday afternoon.

Back to top