By ,
Published November 20, 2014
Chris Capuano tossed seven scoreless innings and helped his own cause with a two-run double, as the Los Angeles Dodgers posted a 5-1 win over the Chicago Cubs in the middle test of a three-game series at Wrigley Field.
Capuano (4-0) scattered three hits, walked two and struck out seven. The southpaw is off to his best start since going 5-0 for the Brewers in 2007.
"I added a breaking ball in spring training that's been helping me out that I've had a pretty good feel for," Capuano said. "(I have) a cut fastball and working a good two-seamer. It's good having a couple more weapons out there. I have more options to go to."
Matt Kemp, Dee Gordon and Matt Treanor each knocked in a run for Los Angeles, which avoided its first three-game losing streak of the season.
Struggling Chicago right-hander Chris Volstad (0-4) started in place of Matt Garza, who was scratched because of the flu, and surrendered five runs on four hits and three walks in five frames.
Volstad is 0-9 over his last 17 outings.
"It wasn't our day from the beginning," Volstad said.
The Cubs broke up LA's shutout bid in the ninth when a two-out single by Ian Stewart off Jamey Wright plated Starlin Castro.
Chicago looked to grab an early lead, loading the bases in the first inning on an error, a one-out single and a walk. But Capuano escaped the jam by striking out both Alfonso Soriano and Stewart.
Los Angeles capitalized on its bases-loaded opportunity in the second. Treanor lofted a sacrifice fly to right field and Capuano drove Volstad's next pitch to center for a two-run double.
The Dodgers added two runs in the fifth when Treanor led off with a single and moved to second on a sac bunt before scoring on Gordon's double. Gordon then stole third and came home on a Kemp sacrifice fly.
Game Notes
Capuano improved to 9-3 in 15 career games (13 starts) against the Cubs...Volstad last won a game on July 10, 2011...Chicago first baseman Bryan LaHair walked twice to extend his streak of reaching base to 23 games. He went 0-for-2, though, to snap a 10-game hitting streak...Castro had three of the Cubs' five hits -- all singles.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/capuano-dodgers-down-cubs