Wisdom, Bellinger HRs lift Cubs to 3-2 win over Dodgers

Updated Apr. 16, 2023 8:13 p.m. ET
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Patrick Wisdom homered for the third straight game, Cody Bellinger also went deep and the Chicago Cubs defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 on Sunday.

Wisdom and Bellinger connected back-to-back in the sixth inning, and the Cubs took two of three in the series. Drew Smyly (1-1) allowed one run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.

“We all believe in there. Like, we’re nasty," Smyly said. "We have a good team. … When you do start knocking off some series wins against opponents like this, like, I think it really just takes it to another level.”

Chris Taylor homered for the Dodgers, who scored six runs all weekend. Julio Urías (3-1) gave up two earned runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, the first time this season he allowed multiple runs in a start.

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“I felt good about my pitches," Urías said through a translator. "I felt really good about everything I was doing. Obviously it’s baseball and things happen. … I made a mistake and I paid for it.”

With his parents in the stands for all three games, Wisdom became the third Cubs player to hit three home runs in a series at Dodger Stadium, joining Dave Kingman and Gary Matthews.

“I wish I could just bottle it up and keep it in my locker," Wisdom said. "But, yeah, it’s just going out there and swinging at my pitches and putting controlled swings on it. And the staff has done a good job of putting my blinders on, if you will, to just stay in your zone.”

Bellinger then launched his third homer of the season, capping a memorable return to Los Angeles for the former Dodgers slugger after receiving a standing ovation on Frida y and snatching away a home run on Saturday.

“I know it’s a huge weekend for him coming back here," Wisdom said. "He makes that (defensive) play the other night and, you know, good at-bats all around and then hits a big homer kind of to cap it off, so that was super fun to be a part of.”

ATTACK MODE

The Dodgers got their runs when Taylor nailed the left-field foul pole in the third and Chicago right fielder Seiya Suzuki lost Mookie Betts’ fly ball in the sun to allow Taylor to score in the seventh. Smyly said he wanted to take the fight to their lineup, and the feisty approach worked.

“They’re known to not really chase much and make pitchers work, so my mindset was let’s just come out as aggressive as can be. … Keep them on their heels," he said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: C Will Smith was placed on the injured list because of a concussion. Smith, put on the seven-day IL retroactive to Thursday, missed the past two games because he hadn’t been feeling well. The Dodgers initially believed Smith was dealing with an illness before further testing led to the diagnosis of a head injury. With Smith unavailable, Los Angeles signed journeyman catcher Austin Wynns, and he will start on Monday.

UP NEXT

Cubs: RHP Hayden Wesneski (0-0) takes the mound Monday for the first of three games at Oakland. Wesneski lasted only 1 1/3 innings against Seattle on Tuesday, getting tagged for five hits with four walks before exiting the shortest start of his career.

Dodgers: RHP Dustin May (1-1) starts Monday to open a three-game series against the New York Mets. May, who allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings at San Francisco on Tuesday, has yet to give up a home run in three starts this season.

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