CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – APRIL 22: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by teammates following a two run home run during the seventh inning of the game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 22, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
James Outman and Max Muncy each homered twice as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 9-4 on Saturday.
Outman was 4-for-5 with four RBIs. He has homered seven times this season, the most by a Dodgers rookie in the months of March and April.
Muncy's second homer of the game came off Cubs reliever Brad Boxberger in the ninth and Outman delivered his second one batter later. Muncy has 10 home runs, tied for the most home runs this season.
The nine-run scoring blitz came a day after the Dodgers lost 13-0 to the Cubs.
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Muncy's first homer was a two-run homer off Cubs reliever Mark Leiter Jr. in the seventh.
Nico Hoerner hit a two-run homer for the Cubs, who lost just for the second time in seven games.
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One day after Drew Smyly took a perfect game into the eighth inning, Cubs starter Hayden Wesneski faced a no-out bases-loaded jam in the first inning. Mookie Betts singled, Freddie Freeman doubled to left and Muncy walked as the Dodgers matched the number of base runners they had Friday. Wesneski was able to get J.D. Martinez to hit a sharp grounder to second baseman Hoerner, who turned a double play as Betts scored. Jason Heyward ended the inning with a flyout to the warning track in center.
Dodgers starter Dustin May found himself in the same predicament as Wesneski in the first inning with bases loaded and no outs. Hoerner, who led off with a single, came around to score on Seiya Suzuki's fielder's choice. May ended the first inning by getting Cody Bellinger looking and Patrick Wisdom to pop out.
May (2-1) settled down after a rocky first to pitch 5 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs on two hits with six strikeouts and pitched around three walks to earn the victory.
Outman led off the second inning with his sixth home run of the season into the right-field basket.
Martinez doubled and scored on Outman's single in the fourth inning to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.
Eric Hosmer doubled to center in the fourth and Suzuki scored from first.
Pinch-hitter Miguel Vargas added a Dodgers' insurance run with an RBI single off Cubs reliever Michael Rucker in the sixth inning to extend the lead to 4-2
Hoerner hit a two-run homer off Dodgers reliever Yency Almonte in the seventh to cut the lead to 6-4. Hoerner has homered in consecutive games.
Wesneski (1-1) lasted 4 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on five hits.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers C Will Smith is not expected to return to the lineup through the end of the road trip. The trip concludes Thursday in Pittsburgh. He's missed nine straight games with a concussion. “We're obviously being very cautious," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ”There is going to be a ramp-up (in testing). Until he does that and passes those tests he's not going to be in a Major League game."
Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (right shoulder strain) was scheduled to pitch three innings in an extended spring training game and RHP Codi Heuer (Tommy John recovery) was also scheduled to throw one inning of a simulated game Saturday game.
MOVES
Before the game, the Dodgers recalled LHP Victor González and designated Jake Reed for assignment. On Friday, Reed allowed six earned runs on five hits. González was 1-0 with 1.29 ERA in six games for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
UP NEXT
Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (3-1) is scheduled to start the series finale Sunday. RHP Marcus Stroman (2-1) is scheduled to start for Chicago.
