Cubs crush Diamondbacks to take series opener

CHICAGO – Jon Lester hit his first major league homer and struck out nine to reach 2,000 for his career, helping the Chicago Cubs pound the Arizona Diamondbacks 16-4 on Tuesday night.

Anthony Rizzo went deep twice and Ian Happ and Javier Baez also connected as Chicago kicked off a six-game homestand with its 14th win in 17 games since the All-Star break. Rizzo, Baez and Albert Almora Jr. each drove in three runs, and Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras had two RBIs apiece.

BOX SCORE: Cubs 16, Diamondbacks 4

The NL Central leaders rapped out 17 hits in their highest-scoring game of the season and stayed 2 1/2 games ahead of second-place Milwaukee.

With two outs and Happ on first in the third, Lester drove a 2-2 pitch from Patrick Corbin over the wall in center to make it 8-1. The crowd of 40,709 roared as Lester trotted around the bases and kept cheering until he popped out of the dugout for a curtain call.

– Associated Press

Cubs keep adding on runs vs. D-Backs

The Cubs exploded for seven more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, extending their lead over the Diamondbacks to 15-3 at Wrigley Field.

All seven runs came off left-handed reliever T.J. McFarland, who allowed two walks and four hits, including a three-run home run to Javier Baez to cap the scoring. One of the runs was unearned after new shortstop Adam Rosales booted a potential double-play ball hit by Kris Bryant.

The Cubs batted around in the inning, with pinch-hitter Kyle Schwarber coming to the plate twice, drawing a walk to start the inning and later adding a single.

D-Backs chase Lester, still trail in Chicago

The Diamondbacks scored a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning and chased Cubs starter Jon Lester from the game, but they still trail 8-3 after five innings at Wrigley Field.

Lester departed three batters in the fifth inning, having already thrown 104 pitches. He finished having allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in four-plus innings.

Lester might have only lasted four innings, but that was one more than Diamondbacks lefty Patrick Corbin, who gave up eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits and one walk.

Diamondbacks shortstop Adam Rosales lined a double to left field to drive in a run in the fifth for his first hit with his new team.

Cubs clobbering D-Backs, Corbin

The Cubs scored two in the first and added four more in the second and two more in the third, and they own an 8-1 lead over the Diamondbacks after three innings at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series.

Diamondbacks lefty Patrick Corbin has been hit hard, serving up three home runs to Cubs hitters, including the first in the career of opposing pitcher Jon Lester, who demolished a 2-2 fastball and sent it into the left-field bleachers.

In the first, Albert Almora Jr. lined a bases-loaded single to center to make it 2-0. In the second, the Cubs got a solo homer from Ian Happ to lead off the inning, and four batters later Anthony Rizzo made it 6-1 with a two-run shot.

The Diamondbacks have just one run off Lester in three innings, though they have made him work hard. His pitch count is already at 74.

Theo Epstein talks up D-Backs’ front office

Cubs GM Theo Epstein had nice things to say about the Diamondbacks’ move to acquire J.D. Martinez, a deal executed by GM Mike Hazen, who, along with assistant GMs Jared Porter and Amiel Sawdaye, is a former associate of Epstein’s in Boston.

“I thought the J.D. Martinez acquisition was excellent for Arizona,” Epstein told reporters. “I’m biased, but I think their front office has done a fantastic job this year.

“They had trouble against left-handed pitching and teams weren’t pitching to (Paul) Goldschmidt and now you got J.D. Martinez sitting right behind Goldschmidt against lefties …”

Epstein noted that the Diamondbacks could end up facing some tough left-handed pitching in the postseason. The Dodgers have three lefties in Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood and Rich Hill while the Cubs have Jon Lester and Jose Quintana.

“That was a heck of a deal,” Epstein said. “They’re a force to be reckoned with.”

Drury at 3rd base for 1st time this year

The Diamondbacks had another new wrinkle to their lineup on Tuesday with Brandon Drury getting the start at third base, the first time this season he’s played a position other than second base.

It’s far from unfamiliar territory for Drury, who was primarily a third baseman throughout his minor league career and has played 40 games there at the major league level.

Manager Torey Lovullo suggested that part of his thinking was to get Drury back to a spot where he’s most comfortable defensively, perhaps in part to jumpstart him at the plate.

“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while now,” Lovullo said. “After my conversation with Brandon, when I told him we’re going to back out of a little bit of playing time, I thought why not explore the option of third base. It’s where he’s very comfortable.”

Rosales hitting third, playing short in debut

Manager Torey Lovullo isn’t giving his newest infielder a soft landing. He had Adam Rosales batting third and playing shortstop in his Diamondbacks debut on Tuesday night against left-hander Jon Lester and the Cubs.

“He just fit for the construction of the lineup,” Lovullo said. “I didn’t want to start to maneuver a lot of guys throughout the entire lineup. And while Jake (Lamb) was going to be getting a day off to rest up, I thought it made a lot of sense.”

Rosales has started 394 games in parts of 10 seasons in the majors. This will be his sixth time hitting third, the other five coming in September 2014 for a Texas Rangers team that was on its way to 95 losses.

Rosales, who hit .234 with a .619 OPS for the Oakland Athletics, has had more success against lefties, off whom he’s hitting .276 with a .752 OPS in 58 at-bats.

Lamb, who was out of the lineup on Friday in St. Louis, is hitting just .129 against lefties in 85 at-bats, though Lovullo said he plans to start him on Thursday against left-hander Jose Quintana.

Hernandez happy to be back in D-Backs ‘family’

While he was with other teams over the past two seasons, reliever David Hernandez followed the Diamondbacks from afar. Now that he’s back with them following Monday’s trade, he said it was like reuniting with family.

“There’s always that family that you kind of create away from your family,” he said. “We’re here together for so long, you kind of create that special bond.”

Hernandez spent five years with the Diamondbacks, missing all of the 2014 season following Tommy John surgery, a procedure that he said is feeling more and more like a thing of the past.

“I feel like I’m where I was before surgery,” he said. “ … (I’m) throwing quality pitches. I’m trying to stay out of the middle of the strike zone, where hitters do a lot of their damage.”

The results reflect that. In 38 appearances with the Los Angeles Angels, he posted a 2.23 ERA with eight walks and 37 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings.

One change for Hernandez has been the slider he picked up this year, something he said helps offset the fact he no longer throws a change-up.

“It gives me three speeds to throw up there,” he said.

Hernandez said he already spoke with manager Torey Lovullo about what to expect his role to be.

“Fernando is obviously the closer and Archie is the setup guy,” Hernandez said. “And Torey has told me to be ready. They like to use Archie in different roles, so just be ready. That’s what I’ve been doing as a reliever. It’s always just a matter of being ready.”

Short hops

The Diamondbacks promoted shortstop Jack Reinheimer from Triple-A Reno and optioned right-hander Silvino Bracho. Reinheimer gives the club additional depth at shortstop following the injury to Chris Owings and the absence of Ketel Marte, who was placed on the bereavement list and returned to his home in the Dominican Republic following the death of his mother in a car accident on Sunday.

*Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen and CEO Derrick Hall were among a contingent of team officials to travel to the Dominican to attend Marte’s mother’s funeral.

Lineup

Adam Rosales, whom the Diamondbacks acquired from the Athletics before the MLB trade deadline Monday, is batting third and playing shortstop for the Diamondbacks in their series opener against the Cubs Tuesday.

Relief pitcher David Hernandez, whom the D-Backs acquire from the  Angel Monday, is also active for the game. 

MLB TRADE GRADES: Diamondbacks among big winners?

Roster move

The Arizona Diamondbacks recalled INF Jack Reinheimer from Triple-A Reno and optioned RHP Silvino Bracho to Reno.
 
Reinheimer, who turned 25 on July 19, will wear No. 76 and has no prior Major League experience. He hit .283 (106-for-374) with 14 doubles, 4 home runs, 44 RBI and 70 runs scored in 101 games with the Aces this season.

In the last 9 games before the promotion, he batted .390 (16-for-41) with 11 runs scored and an .873 OPS.

RELATED: Arizona Diamondbacks trade history

Catching up with the Chicago Cubs

The Diamondbacks will see the Cubs twice in the span of two weeks. They do not appear to be catching them at the right time.

The Cubs have caught fire since the start of the second half, finally playing like the club everyone envisioned on the heels of their first World Series title since 1908. They’re 13-3 since the All-Star break.

One big difference has come in the performance of the starting rotation, which was bolstered by the addition of LHP Jose Quintana. Prior to the break, Cubs starters had a 4.30 ERA; it’s been 2.53 over the past 16 games, including 11 quality starts.

The Cubs also have been averaging a healthy 5.3 runs per game and hitting .272/.344/.488 in that stretch. 3B Kris Bryant, the reigning MVP, is having a strong year, hitting .279 with 20 homers, and 1B Anthony Rizzo has 24 homers and 67 RBIs.

The Diamondbacks will see the Cubs’ top three starters in this series in LHP Jon Lester, RHP Jake Arrieta and Quintana.

MORE D-BACKS: Two trade-deadline moves round out roster

Tuesday’s game

When: 5:05 p.m.

Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (8-9, 4.36) vs. Cubs LHP Jon Lester (8-6, 3.88).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM (620), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Corbin has made nine consecutive starts in which he’s allowed three earned runs or less, posting a 3.04 ERA during that stretch. Opponents are hitting .279 off him with a .754 OPS in those starts. … He gave up two runs in six innings against the Braves on Wednesday afternoon at Chase Field. … Corbin is averaging 93.06 mph with his fastball, the highest of his career. … Since giving up 10 runs (four earned) in two-thirds of an inning on July 9, Lester has logged three starts and posted a 2.05 ERA. … He gave up two runs in seven innings against the White Sox on Thursday. … Lester hasn’t faced the Diamondbacks since 2015, when he posted a 3.00 ERA in two starts.

Coming up

Wednesday: At Chicago, 5:05 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (4-4, 3.06) vs. Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (10-7, 4.03).

Thursday: At Chicago, 11:20 a.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (13-4, 2.84) vs. Cubs LHP Jose Quintana (6-6, 3.88).

Friday: At San Francisco, 7:15 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (6-5, 3.55) vs. Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner (1-4, 2.92).Up next

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