Here’s what you need to know
How Mookie Betts at shortstop could make sense for Dodgers
Dodgers get their ‘butt kicked’ in worrying blowout to Cubs
Stan Kasten: Dodgers ‘not swayed’ by rise of the big spenders
Max Muncy and James Outman each homer twice in Dodgers’ complete offensive showing
CHICAGO — Max Muncy homered twice, tying him for the major league lead with 10 on the season.
James Outman added his own pair of bombs, breaking a franchise rookie record with seven before the start of May.
As has often been the case for the homer-happy Dodgers, it was the long ball that led them to a 9-4 victory Saturday over the Chicago Cubs, adding four to their National League-leading total 40 over the season’s first month.
Dodgers bounce back behind Max Muncy and James Outman
⚾ Dodgers 9, Cubs 4 — FINAL
Right-hander Shelby Miller put the finishing touches with a 1-2-3 inning, but it was all about James Outman and Max Muncy at the plate.
Outman and Muncy each hit two home runs and drove in seven runs to help the Dodgers (11-11) bounce back from Friday’s debacle and get back to .500.
It was part of an 11-hit attack that came one day after the Dodgers only managed an infield single and three baserunners in a bid for a perfect game by Cubs left-hander Drew Smyly.
Dustin May (2-1) pitched into the sixth inning and struck out six to bounce back from his previous start against the Mets in which he gave up five earned runs in a no-decision.
Clayton Kershaw is slated to start Sunday’s game, which will begin at 11:20 a.m. PT.
Max Muncy and James Outman hammer their second home runs of the game
⚾ Dodgers 9, Cubs 4 — Middle of the ninth inning
Max Muncy and James Outman struck again.
Muncy crushed his 10th home run of the season, a solo shot with one out, to extend the Dodgers lead. He is now tied with Pete Alonso for the MLB lead.
Of Muncy’s last 13 hits, nine have been homers, according to the SportsNet LA broadcast.
After Jason Heyward walked with two outs, Outman cranked a 2-and-2 pitch to right field for his seventh home run of the season and fourth of the series.
Dodgers go quietly, Caleb Ferguson holds the line in the eighth
⚾ Dodgers 6, Cubs 4 — End of the eighth inning
The Dodgers went scoreless in their half of the inning, stranding Chris Taylor at second base. He drew a one-out walk and stole his first base of the season before Austin Barnes struck out and Mookie Betts lined out to left.
Left-hander Caleb Ferguson worked around a two-out single by Nick Madrigal to pitch a scoreless inning on 11 pitches. He retired Cody Bellinger on a pop out to second to start the inning — much to Bellinger’s audible frustration.
Max Muncy and Nico Hoerner hit dueling two-run homers in the seventh
⚾ Dodgers 6, Cubs 4 — End of the seventh inning
The top of the Dodgers lineup came through again.
This time, it was Max Muncy hitting a two-run home run with one out to drive in Freddie Freeman, who had reached on an infield single. It was Muncy’s ninth home run of the season, tied for second in MLB.
The SportsNet LA broadcast pointed out that the Dodgers have scored 12 runs so far this series — and Muncy and James Outman have driven in 10 of those.
Yency Almonte came on for the bottom of the inning, and the right-hander continued to struggle, giving up a two-run home run by Nico Hoerner after he walked former Dodger Edwin Rios.
As the SportsNet LA broadcast pointed out, the Dodgers bullpen has a 1.91 ERA in wins 8.83 ERA in losses — the personification of inconsistent.
Miguel Vargas RBI single extends Dodgers lead, Alex Vesia comes through
⚾ Dodgers 4, Cubs 2 — End of the sixth inning
Another rookie helped the Dodgers find an insurance run.
Miguel Vargas, pinch-hitting for David Peralta, singled in J.D. Martinez, who had led off the inning with a walk.
After James Outman singled — his third hit of the game — one out later, Vargas stepped in against right-hander Michael Rucker, who came in for lefty Brandon Hughes, and hit a 2-1 pitch into center.
Dustin May gave up a walk and recorded an out before being lifted for left-hander Alex Vesia. May threw 96 pitches (a season high) and struck out six.
Vesia, for his part, allowed a four-pitch walk to Cody Bellinger before he induced Patrick Wisdom to foul out and got pinch-hitter Nick Madrigal to strike out and strand runners on second and third.
Dustin May has another 1-2-3 inning as Dodgers stay in front
⚾ Dodgers 3, Cubs 2 — End of the fifth inning
Dustin May is through five innings, having thrown 88 pitches — his season high (he threw 87 in his previous start against the Mets).
The Dodgers used only two relievers — Jake Reed and Andre Jackson — in Friday’s game, so it would seem the bullpen is well-positioned to step in when needed. Among those available today is Victor Gonzalez.
Cubs right-hander Hayden Wesneski was lifted from the game with one out in the fifth inning, but the Dodgers could not take advantage of Patrick Wisdom’s error that allowed Mookie Betts to reach base. Betts eventually stole second, his first steal of the season.
Left-hander Brandon Hughes came in and struck out Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy to end the inning.
Dodgers extend lead on RBI single by James Outman, Cubs answer
⚾ Dodgers 3, Cubs 2 — End of the fourth inning
J.D. Martinez led off with a double to left and moved to third on a Jason Heyward groundout, James Outman dunked a single into right field to score Martinez.
Outman has his second multi-RBI game in three days and leads all MLB rookies with his six homers so far this season.
The Cubs answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Eric Hosmer that was nearly turned into a diving catch by James Outman.
May avoided further trouble by striking out Trey Mancini — his sixth of the game — to end the inning. He is through four innings on 69 pitches.
Dodgers continue to lead as starting pitchers settle in
⚾ Dodgers 2, Cubs 1 — End of the third inning
Nothing doing for both teams as Dustin May and Hayden Wesneski had 1-2-3 innings.
May has allowed one hit, two walks and struck out four while throwing 47 pitches through three innings. After his first-inning trouble, May has retired eight in a row.
Wesneski, for his part, has allowed two runs on three hits on 38 pitches in three innings of work.
James Outman’s homer gives the Dodgers the lead again
⚾ Dodgers 2, Cubs 1 — Middle of the second inning
James Outman continues his barrage against the Cubs.
The rookie homered to right field to lead off the second inning to put the Dodgers back in front.
It was his sixth homer of the season and third of the series. His last three hits have been home runs, per the SportsNet LA broadcast.
Dustin May set the Cubs down in order on 12 pitches, collecting two strikeouts. He has three for the game, and has thrown 39 pitches in two innings.
Dodgers take early lead, but Cubs answer quickly
⚾ Dodgers 1, Cubs 1 — End of the first inning
In an attempt to turn the page from Friday’s 13-0 loss, the Dodgers got going quickly today against Cubs right-hander Hayden Wesneski.
Mookie Betts, who had been 6 for his last 28, led off the game with a single and Freddie Freeman hit the first pitch he saw to left for a double. Max Muncy then worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases with nobody out.
J.D. Martinez then scorched a liner — with an exit velocity of 107.1 mph, per the SportsNet LA broadcast — up the middle that was fielded by Nico Hoerner for a double play that scored Betts.
Jason Heyward ended the inning with a flyout to center that Cody Bellinger caught against the ivy.
Dustin May, however, gave the lead back quickly.
Hoerner singled and Dansby Swanson walked — both after they had an 0-2 count — and Ian Happ walked to load the bases. Seiya Suzuki grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring in Hoerner and tie the score.
Bellinger struck out looking and Patrick Wisdom popped out to Mookie Betts, playing second base today, to end the inning.
May threw 27 pitches that inning.
Today’s starting lineups
The starting lineups for today’s Dodgers-Cubs game.
Mookie Betts at shortstop? How the Dodgers’ experiment could make long-term sense
CHICAGO — It started as a temporary measure, a short-term solution to the Dodgers’ growing infield injury list.
For all of Mookie Betts’ natural skill, after all, the Dodgers had never really considered a world in which he might regularly play shortstop.
His superb defense in right field seemed too valuable. And as even he had noted on multiple occasions, the team isn’t paying him $365 million to be an infielder.
However, after making his major league debut at the position Thursday night and returning for another inning on Friday, continuing to experiment with Betts at shortstop might suddenly be making a lot of sense.
Recap: Dodgers get their ‘butt kicked’ in worrying blowout to Cubs
CHICAGO — Drew Smyly was on the verge of perfection.
The struggling Dodgers couldn’t have been further from it.
For their first 21 at-bats Friday against the Chicago Cubs left-hander, the Dodgers failed to record a hit, a baserunner or any semblance of functional offense.
They weren’t just losing by double-digits, en route to a 13-0 defeat at Wrigley Field, but were on the verge of falling victim to the most unexpected of perfect games, stymied by a 33-year-old journeyman with a 4.11 career ERA who they’d just faced last week.
Dodgers TV schedule for the 2023 regular season
Here’s a look at the Dodgers TV schedule for the 2023 regular season. All times and broadcast/streaming options are subject to change.
