Thursday, August 17, 2017

Cubs' Lester looks to stay hot versus Reds

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(TSX / STATS) -- CHICAGO -- Jon Lester hopes to resume a positive post-All-Star break run as the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds wrap up a four-game series at Wrigley Field on Thursday.

Lester (8-7, 3.99 ERA) is 3-1 with a 3.26 ERA in six starts since the break with one blip -- allowing four runs (three earned) and seven hits over six innings in a 6-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.

"It's like a start over for us at the break," Lester said recently. "As of now, that stuff is going well. There are some clunkers in there I wish I could take it back or grind through better and have a better outcome."

The Reds counter with ex-Cub right-hander Scott Feldman (7-7, 4.43 ERA).

The Cubs (63-56) will look for a third victory in the series win while the Reds (50-71) seek to avoid their fifth loss in six games.

The pressure at least will be off Joey Votto. The Reds first baseman went 1-for-4 on Wednesday and missed a chance to tie a record held by Ted Williams for the most consecutive games reaching base at least twice.

Votto's hot stretch -- which included a 17-game hitting streak -- was halted at 20 games, leaving intact Williams' 21-game record set in 1948.

"To me, he's the best guy going in baseball right now," Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta told WSCR-AM on Wednesday. "What he is able to do is hit quality pitches for power."

Feldman makes his second start since coming off a 25-day stay on the disabled list caused by right knee inflammation. He is tied with Michael Lorenzen for the Reds' lead in wins, and tied with Tim Adleman for the club lead in starts, and his nine quality starts are a team high.

Feldman pitched for the Cubs in 2013 before a trade to Baltimore. Since then, he has faced the Cubs twice -- both this season, going 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA. He allowed no runs on two hits over seven innings in a 5-0 victory on June 30.

"My hopes are that he'll be able to maintain what we saw those first couple of months, as far as being able to go out there and take the field and do all the little things that he had to do as a pitcher -- field your position, swing the bat, run the bases, et cetera, without too much issue," Reds manager Bryan Price said recently.

Lester is 4-3 with a 3.76 ERA in 14 home starts compared to 4-4, 4.27 in 11 appearances away from Wrigley Field. Lefties are batting only .184 against him while right-handers are hitting .264.

Lester is 4-1 with a 4.79 ERA in 11 career starts against Cincinnati, all coming since he joined the Cubs. Lester is 2-0 with a 3.94 in five Wrigley Field starts against the Reds.

The Cubs continue their homestand with a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays starting Friday.

The Reds next travel to Atlanta for their first games at SunTrust Park. That three-game series also opens Friday.

Wild pitch gives Cubs walk-off win over Reds

(TSX / STATS) -- CHICAGO -- Anthony Rizzo said he was hoping for a break in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds were locked in a tie game Wednesday.

The Chicago first baseman got his wish as Javier Baez scored the winning run on a two-out wild pitch by Reds reliever Blake Wood, giving the Cubs a 7-6 walk-off victory on Wednesday night.

"(Cincinnati catcher) Tucker Barnhart was really good behind there this whole series so far, he's a really good blocker," Rizzo said. "I started throwing out there, 'Come on, just one little passed ball.' It didn't get fully by him, but it was a great read by Javier to score that run."

The Cubs (63-56) posted their fourth walk-off victory of the season and first on a wild pitch. The Reds (50-71) lost on a walk-off wild pitch for the second time on their current road trip.

Baez led off the ninth with a double against Reds reliever Wandy Peralta. Pinch hitter Jon Jay walked on four pitches, and Ben Zobrist advanced the runners to third and second with a fielder's choice grounder.

Wood entered and struck out Albert Almora Jr. on four pitches before he threw the wild pitch to Kris Bryant on a 1-0 count.

"There's not really any margin for error there," Wood said. "You've got to make pitches, and hopefully it works out. Tonight, I just pulled one a little bit too far, and that was it."

Chicago closer Wade Davis (3-1) worked one scoreless inning for the victory. Peralta (3-3) took the loss after yielding one run in 1 1/3 innings.

Rizzo went 2-for-4 with his third career grand slam, hit off Reds right-handed starter Homer Bailey. Rizzo's team-leading 28th home run of the season gave the Cubs a 4-1 first-inning lead.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto saw his bid to match a record held by Ted Williams fall short as he went 1-for-4. Votto had reached base at least twice in a game in 20 consecutive games until Wednesday.

Williams' record, set in 1948, is 21 games.

Neither starter factored into the decision.

Cubs right-hander John Lackey, seeking a win in his sixth straight start, was pulled in the sixth for pinch hitter Tommy La Stella, who doubled home Jason Heyward for a 6-1 lead.

After a shaky start, Lackey ended up allowing just one run and four hits while striking out six and walking three in six innings.

"I didn't have a good feel the first two innings, obviously," Lackey said. "I really had no breaking ball and kind of found that as we went along and got a little better."

Bailey departed after La Stella's hit. Bailey allowed six runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings, walking five and striking out 10 while throwing 109 pitches.

"I just didn't execute those (first-inning) pitches as well as I could have," Bailey said. "Tonight, just like they have all season, our offense did an outstanding job in coming back and showed their heart there. But tonight, our starting pitching lost us the game."

Cincinnati right fielder Phillip Ervin clubbed his first major league hit and home run on a first pitch from reliever Hector Rondon with two outs in the seventh inning.

Zack Cozart followed with a two-run homer to left, driving in Billy Hamilton to cut the margin to 6-4. Rondon was pulled in favor of Brian Duensing, who got Votto to ground out to end the inning.

With one out in the eighth, Reds pinch hitter Adam Duvall forced a 6-6 tie with a two-run homer off Carl Edwards Jr., also driving in Eugenio Suarez.

NOTES: Reds OF Scott Schebler went a combined 2-for-7 with an RBI on Tuesday and Wednesday in rehab appearances for Triple-A Louisville. He has been on the disabled list since Aug. 1 with a left shoulder strain. ... Reds 1B Joey Votto's consecutive game streak reaching base two or more times in a game included a 17-game hitting streak that was snapped Sunday at Milwaukee. ... Cincinnati RHP Scott Feldman (7-7, 4.43 ERA) opposes Cubs LHP Jon Lester (8-7, 3.99 ERA) on Thursday in the series finale. ... Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo's grand slam was his first since Sept. 4, 2015, against Arizona. All three of his slams have come at Wrigley Field.

Dodgers pull out another one vs. White Sox

(TSX / STATS) -- LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers did it again.

Down by two runs in the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers got to the Chicago White Sox bullpen. Facing right-handed reliever Jake Petricka with one out, Yasiel Puig hit a two-run, walk-off double as the Dodgers scored a 5-4 comeback victory in front of a sellout crowd Wednesday.

Puig's teammates mobbed him at second base, and the Dodgers celebrated a 38th comeback win.

"We're down by two. Two runs is not enough (to worry)," Los Angeles left fielder Enrique Hernandez said. "I don't think there's a big enough lead right now to be like, 'Oh, the Dodgers are out of a game,' especially late innings. All I can say is it's an everyday thing now."

Chicago led 4-2 entering the ninth. Reliever Gregory Infante recorded the first out, then was replaced by Aaron Bummer. Pinch hitter Cody Bellinger singled, and the White Sox changed pitchers again, bringing in Petricka (1-1).

Logan Forsythe's double to left scored Bellinger, cutting the deficit to 4-3. Austin Barnes' single put runners at the corners for Puig, who hit a 3-2 pitch to left-center field, ending the game.

The much-anticipated Yu Darvish debut as a Dodger at Dodger Stadium was unspectacular. He left the game after six innings as a precautionary measure due to back tightness.

He wasn't involved in the decision and watched in awe with how the Dodgers (85-34) pulled off another win -- on his 31st birthday.

"When (Darvish) left the game, the manager told him not to worry," Puig said through an interpreter. "What better gift on his birthday than the Dodgers winning."

After the game, Darvish simply tweeted: "OMG."

The White Sox hit four solo home runs, including two from rookie Nicky Delmonico, but it wasn't enough. One day earlier, Petricka hit Joc Pederson with the bases loaded to bring in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of Los Angeles' eventual 6-1 victory.

White Sox starter Carlos Rodon pitched well in holding the Dodgers to two runs in 7 1/3 innings Wednesday. He allowed five hits and four walks while striking out four.

Darvish gave up three runs, all on solo homers, in six innings. He allowed eight hits and one walk while striking out only two. Two of the home runs were leadoff shots.

He went out to the mound to pitch the seventh but was met by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and a trainer. Darvish left the game, citing the back issue that he said began in his previous start at Arizona.

"I was going to go out, obviously, but in between innings I talked to (Clayton) Kershaw a little bit," Darvish said through an interpreter. "He asked me how I felt, and I told him there was something with my back. He said, 'We need you really bad in six weeks. That's when we need you the most.' That's what happened."

Leury Garcia homered on the first pitch of the game from Darvish for his first career leadoff home run. On Tuesday, Tim Anderson hit Alex Wood's first pitch for a home run.

"When I got here and I saw the lineup, I (went) straight to T.A. and said, 'The first pitch I'm going to swing at it. I want to be like you,'" Garcia said. "And it happened."

It was the first time in franchise history the White Sox homered in consecutive games on the first pitch.

In the bottom of the first, Forsythe tied the game when he scored on a wild pitch by Rodon. Even so, Rodon was effective with his changeup.

"That's a good lineup," Rodon said. "They know how to win. We're still learning. It's a learning day today. We'll get them next time."

Darvish gave up his second home run when Delmonico, batting cleanup, went deep to right in the fourth. Delmonico extended his hitting streak to 11 games and has reached base safely in all 13 career games. He added another home run in the eighth on a first-pitch offering from reliever Tony Watson.

Hernandez led off the fourth inning with a home run off Rodon to left-center field, tying the game at 2. Hernandez earned himself a spot in the lineup based on his power against Rodon. He was 2-for-2 with two home runs against the White Sox in Chicago earlier this season. He made it three home runs in his first four at-bats against Rodon.

Jose Abreu homered in the sixth inning for a 3-2 White Sox lead.

Dodgers reliever Ross Stripling (2-4) pitched one scoreless inning for the win.

NOTES: Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (back) threw a 38-pitch, two-inning simulated game Wednesday. He next is scheduled to throw a three-inning simulated game in five days or go on a rehab assignment ... White Sox manager Rick Renteria confirmed he was given a World Series ring by Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer in July at Wrigley Field. Renteria managed the Cubs in 2014, but the team went 73-89 and he was fired. ... Chicago INF Tim Anderson has three leadoff home runs this year, including one Tuesday, but he was moved to eighth in the order because of matchups, according to Renteria. Anderson has five home runs and 11 RBIs in his past 12 games ... Dodgers INF/OF Rob Segedin was back in the lineup at first base, and he went 0-for-3 in his first game since April 18. He had been out due to a toe strain and wrist surgery.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Reds hope to mount offense against Cubs' Lackey

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(TSX / STATS) -- CHICAGO -- Given the deficit by which they lost to begin their visit to Wrigley Field, the Cincinnati Reds could have allowed their four-game series with the defending World Series champions to slip away before it really got started.

A 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, however, may have changed that.

Now, the Reds look to string two victories together after dropping three consecutive games, including a 15-5 defeat to the Cubs on Monday. Game 3 of the four-game set is scheduled for Wednesday night at Wrigley Field.

"To come off a game like (Monday's) when we got beat really bad and (Tuesday) we had enough confidence to play the game, I feel like this win was big for us," said Billy Hamilton, whose ninth-inning RBI single was crucial in the Reds' victory Tuesday.

The Reds' attempt to maintain their momentum will face a challenge Wednesday from Cubs right-hander John Lackey, who has won each of his past five starts and hasn't lost since June 28.

Lackey (10-9, 4.82 ERA) is 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA in two starts against the Reds this season, and he is 6-5 with a 3.90 ERA in 15 career starts against Cincinnati.

The Reds will counter will Homer Bailey (4-6, 8.31 ERA), who will face the Cubs for the first time this season. Bailey, who is 8-3 with a 4.37 ERA in 16 career starts against the Cubs, has dropped four of his past six starts.

As Cincinnati continues to fight through a disappointing season, the Cubs are hoping to use a stretch against sub-.500 teams like the Reds to improve their playoff standing. Thanks to a St. Louis Cardinals loss Tuesday, the Cubs maintained their 1 1/2-game edge in the National League Central. The Milwaukee Brewers also climbed within 1 1/2 games of Chicago thanks to their win Tuesday.

Although the Cubs have struggled all season to play with any type of consistency, they are hoping that a tight race and tight games like Tuesday's might set them up for another lengthy postseason run.

"I think we've played a lot better the second half," Chicago second baseman Ben Zobrist said. "We can still play better, and we anticipate doing that. We're in a decent spot -- we're not exactly where we want to be ... but we'd like to be playing even better than we are and kind of run away with the division."

With a favorable stretch upcoming, the Cubs are in a position to make the kind of run that set them apart in the NL Central last season.

However, after leaving 10 runners on base Tuesday while going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, they know that even games against also-rans won't be easy.

"I'm hoping it's a dogfight and that we stay on top -- finish on top, that's it," Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward said after the Tuesday loss. "We're playing good baseball, we're battling on a daily basis, we're grinding, we're making adjustments and having fun competing, and that's all we can do."

Dodgers' Darvish pitches for home crowd vs. White Sox

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(TSX / STATS) -- LOS ANGELES -- What a day Wednesday is expected to be for Yu Darvish.

The right-handed pitcher, acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a deadline deal from the Texas Rangers last month, will make his home debut at Dodger Stadium. It also is his 31st birthday.

That's a lot of emotion.

Darvish has pitched well for the Dodgers in his two road starts, going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA. He will face the White Sox to finish the two-game series at Dodger Stadium after Los Angeles rallied for a 6-1 win Tuesday.

"I don't remember facing him this year, but we have faced him," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "Obviously, a top-notch right-hander with about 30 billion types of pitches. We'll try to see what we can do with him. We'll try to eliminate some of them and see if we can get something we can handle and try to grind him out. He's an excellent pitcher."

Darvish is 1-1 with a 5.12 ERA in three career starts against Chicago, but he has not faced the White Sox since 2013.

White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon (1-4, 4.24 ERA) will oppose Darvish. Rodon's only career start against the Dodgers came this year, when he gave up five runs on seven hits (including four homers) in 3 2/3 innings and took the loss on July 19.

Rodon, 24, is following teammate Miguel Gonzalez, who pitched a one-run gem through six innings Monday. However, the White Sox's bullpen problems continued and couldn't get a win for Gonzalez, who grew up going to Dodgers games. The game was tied game through seven innings, but the White Sox allowed a five-run eighth.

"We tried to minimize damage as much as we could," Renteria said. "Some of our guys did a nice job of doing that, keeping us in the ballgame. It was a very good ballgame going into the seventh or the eighth. We just fell short."

The White Sox (45-71) are trying to reverse their fortunes against the team with the best record in baseball.

The Dodgers (84-34) moved 50 games above .500 with their Tuesday win, and now they unveil Darvish to the home crowd.

"I'm (looking forward to it) with much anticipation," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "I try to downplay it a little bit to Yu, making his Dodger debut at home. It's a sellout crowd. There's going to be a lot of energy. I know he's excited about it. The radar gun is going to be lighting up (Wednesday).

"We expect him to go out there and compete and make pitches. He's been on the big stage. For him and for his teammates, coaches, we're excited for him to make that Dodger debut at home."

The game was not sold out as of Tuesday evening.

One play Darvish will need to slow is Tim Anderson. The Chicago shortstop hit a home run on the first pitch of the Tuesday game, and he has five of the White Sox's 11 home runs in August. He has hit four home runs in the past six games.

After the Wednesday game, the White Sox travel to Texas for a four-game series. The Dodgers, who have just eight home games this month, head on the road again as well as they fly to Detroit on Thursday. They will begin a three-game series against the Tigers in which Adrian Gonzalez (herniated lumbar disk) will return from the disabled list and play in at least one game. He last appeared for Los Angeles on June 11.

Late runs lift Reds past Cubs

(TSX / STATS) -- CHICAGO -- Billy Hamilton stepped to the plate in the ninth inning on Tuesday night having struck out in two of his three at-bats.

However, with the Cincinnati Reds clinging to a one-run lead and Hamilton facing a two-strike count, the leadoff hitter found a way to come through.

Hamilton delivered a key RBI single, and Luis Castillo threw six shutout innings as the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Tuesday night.

The Reds, who lost the series opener 15-5 on Monday night, snapped a three-game losing streak.

"I stuck in there and had the confidence to hit with two strikes in that situation. I ended up putting that ball in play, which is what I wanted to do," Hamilton said. "It was a big-time run for us."

Scooter Gennett's eighth-inning sacrifice fly off Cubs reliever Pedro Strop broke a scoreless tie, driving in Joey Votto. In the ninth, Votto walked, reached third on an Adam Duvall single and scored on Hamilton's hit, making it 2-0.

It proved to be the hit that mattered.

The Cubs got within a run in the ninth when Ben Zobrist singled in Kyle Schwarber, who led off the inning with a single. However, with the tying run on third base, Reds reliever Raisel Iglesias struck out Ian Happ to end the game and pick up his 21st save.

"Tonight was a pitcher's duel," said Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward, who was stranded on third when Happ struck out in the ninth. "It's one of those games -- playoff-like game -- we competed, we didn't give either way.

"It is what it is -- I wish it would have been 2-1 our side."

The Reds' offense came through after Castillo kept the Cubs in check. The rookie right-hander struck out seven and allowed just two hits and two walks.

Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks also tossed six-plus shutout innings, allowing five hits and four walks while fanning six.

Michael Lorenzen (7-2) earned the win by throwing a scoreless seventh inning. Wandy Peralta got one out in the eighth, and Iglesias recorded the final five outs.

"(Those were) big pitches," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "(The Cubs) just don't give up ... they make a push.

"They don't run a lot of guys up there that aren't reputable players that don't make you nervous when they're at the plate. They created an opportunity, but we were able to withstand it."

The Cubs loaded the bases in the eighth inning with two outs. After Zobrist and Jon Jay walked to lead off the inning, Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch with two outs. Iglesias struck out Victor Caratini to preserve the one-run lead.

The Reds threatened in the seventh inning when they put runners on second and third with two outs. After a walk to Gennett and a Eugenio Suarez single chased Hendricks, Carl Edwards Jr. struck out the side to keep the game scoreless.

The Cubs appeared on the verge of breaking the scoreless tie in the seventh when Caratini singled and reached third on a single by Albert Almora Jr., who was thrown out trying to reach second on the base hit. But Lorenzen got Heyward to line out to second and Javier Baez to ground out.

"I hit it hard," Heyward said. "I hit it hard."

After the Reds finally broke the ice with Gennett's sacrifice fly, they did just enough to hold off the defending World Series champions.

"Whenever you can win a ballgame at Wrigley Field, it's nice," Gennett said. "It's great energy, a great atmosphere to play in, and overall, it was just a really fun baseball game."

NOTES: Reds C Devin Mesoraco was placed on the disabled list on Tuesday with a fractured left foot after he was hit by a pitch on Monday. Mesoraco returned to Cincinnati to meet with team doctors, and manager Bryan Price said the catcher could be out three to six weeks. OF Phillip Ervin was called up from Triple-A Louisville to fill the roster spot. ... Reds 1B Joey Votto extended his club record of reaching safely at least twice in a game to 20 consecutive games with three walks. ... Cubs SS Addison Russell (foot) ran in the outfield prior to the game as he continues to rehab. Russell said Tuesday he believes he is "moving in the right direction" but does not have a definite timeline to return. ... Cubs 2B Ben Zobrist was held out of the starting lineup for the second straight day with neck stiffness, but he pinch-hit in the eighth inning and stayed in the game.

Dodgers use five-run eighth to beat Whie Sox

(TSX / STATS) -- LOS ANGELES -- Joc Pederson is in a hitting slump, but he won Tuesday's game for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the batter's box in a more unconventional way.

With the bases loaded in the eighth inning of a tie game against the Chicago White Sox, Pederson got hit by a pitch in the leg courtesy of reliever Jake Petricka to knock in the go-ahead run.

That led the Dodgers to a 6-1 win over the Chicago White Sox.

Los Angeles used a five-run eighth inning to turn a tight game into a rout. After Pederson was plunked with the bases loaded, pinch hitter Austin Barnes delivered a two-run single, as did Corey Seager.

After the game, closer Kenley Jansen jokingly said to Pederson in the clubhouse: "Hey, Joc, that was really big. Way to finally come through."

The Dodgers, a major-league-best 84-34, moved to 50 games above .500 for the first time since 1953. This was their 37th comeback victory.

"When you look at the win-loss, it's remarkable," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. "We're going to celebrate tonight, like we do after we win, but we will refocus and it will be fun having Yu (Darvish) on the mound (Wednesday) making his home debut.

"Fifty games over .500 is kind of unchartered territory. We're playing good baseball."

The White Sox's season is completely opposite, and the bullpen woes continued for Chicago (45-71).

"The hit-by-pitch obviously didn't do us any favors," Petricka said. "Dug a little hole myself, and they just found some holes ... It's just next batter. I felt like I kept good focus. It was one pitch yanked a little too much and caught his hip."

Chicago's Tim Anderson continued his hot hitting, belting a home run to left field on the first pitch of the game. It was the fourth career leadoff home run for Anderson, who has four home runs and eight RBIs in his past seven games.

Dodgers starter Alex Wood gave up the solo shot, then was masterful. In the sixth, with a runner on third and two outs, Wood got pinch hitter Alen Hanson out on a called third strike. The lefty threw a big fist-pump after keeping the game tied at 1.

Wood allowed one run on six hits and no walks in seven innings while striking out six. His lone mistake was Anderson's home run, the first of his 79 pitches. He did not get a decision, though, failing in a bid to improve to 15-1.

"He just jumped on it," Wood said of Anderson's home run. "First pitch of the game, heater. Maybe left it up a little bit. It was out over. He was definitely looking heater. It surprised me a little bit how he turned and burned on that to start the game. After that, we settled down and made some quality pitches."

Brandon Morrow (5-0) got the win with one scoreless inning.

White Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez pitched well and made a quality start, allowing just one run on five hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked three in an emotional game as it was his first time pitching in Dodger Stadium.

Gonzalez was born in Mexico, but his family moved to San Fernando -- a city outside Los Angeles -- when he was 4. He graduated from San Fernando High and then attended Los Angeles Mission College. He went to plenty of Dodgers games sitting in the upper-deck seats.

"There were a lot of emotions," Gonzalez said. "I had my family here. My friends. When I was stretching in the outfield right before I started warming up, everyone was there supporting. They were pretty pumped about it.

"It just got me going right off the get-go. There's a lot of memories here growing up. It was fun."

His parents and many other family members and friends were in attendance. His wife, Lucia, who just gave birth to their second child a few days ago, was back in Chicago.

Juan Minaya (1-1), who allowed one hit and one run in one-plus inning, took the loss.

In the sixth inning, the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger used his speed to reach via an infield single. Yasmani Grandal singled and Yasiel Puig drew a walk to load the bases. A Logan Forsythe sacrifice fly scored Bellinger from third to tie the game at 1.

Puig was moved up to sixth in the batting order on Tuesday because of his consistency in at-bats, according to Roberts. He went 0-for-2 with two walks.

Forsythe and Pederson, who have been struggling as of late, were dropped to seventh and eighth in the order, respectively. Still, Pederson found a way to help the Dodgers clinch yet another comeback win.

NOTES: The Dodgers traded RHP Chris Hatcher to Oakland for international bonus pool money. The reliever was not going to get much work in the stacked Los Angeles bullpen, according to manager Dave Roberts .... Dodgers OF Rob Segedin (toe strain, wrist surgery) was activated from the 60-day disabled list ... The White Sox reinstated RHP Dylan Covey (left oblique strain) from the disabled list. ... White Sox C Geovany Soto (right elbow surgery) is expected to miss the rest of the season .... 1B Adrian Gonzalez (back) will make the Dodgers' next road trip, which starts Friday in Detroit. Gonzalez last played in a game on June 11. ... White Sox INF Matt Davidson (right wrist bruise) had a rehab setback caused by irritation. There was no structural damage, but his return date is unknown.