This one built slowly, then all at once. Chicago scored just a single run through five innings, then found the plate in each of the final three frames to pull away from Los Angeles, 5-1, at Wrigley Field.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAD | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| CHC | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | X | 5 | 9 | 0 |
Nico Hoerner powered the late surge, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. His solo shot to left center in the eighth capped his night and extended the Cubs' lead to 5-1. Dansby Swanson also went deep, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, a homer and a run batted in, while Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki each drove in a run during Chicago's decisive sixth and seventh innings.
Los Angeles struck first when Tucker homered to left center in the second inning, making it 1-0. Swanson answered in the third, tying the game 1-1 with a homer to left center. The Cubs then took control in the sixth, when Hoerner reached on an infield single to second and Bregman scored, putting Chicago ahead 1-2 in a play that stood as the decisive go-ahead moment of the game. Chicago tacked on more in the seventh as Crow-Armstrong singled home Swanson and Suzuki singled home Crow-Armstrong, pushing the score to 1-4, before Hoerner's eighth-inning homer made it 1-5.
Tarik Skubal took the loss for Los Angeles' effort on the mound, allowing 2 runs (2 earned) over 6.0 innings with 4 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. The Dodgers managed only 4 hits as a team, and their bullpen struggled after Skubal departed, with four relievers combining for 3 runs (3 earned) over 2.0 innings.
Javier Assad started for Chicago and worked 5.2 innings, allowing 1 run (1 earned) on 4 hits with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts, and was named game MVP for the effort. Ryan Rolison earned the win in relief, tossing a scoreless inning. The Cubs' bullpen as a whole did not allow a run across 3.1 innings. Chicago improved to 65-49, extending its winning streak to two games, while Los Angeles fell to 69-45, losing its fifth straight.