Cubs Beat Dodgers 5-1 as Javier Assad Outduels Tarik Skubal in Debut

Q: What does the Cubs’ 5-1 win—and the Dodgers’ fifth straight loss—say about both teams right now?

It says the Cubs look like a legitimate October-caliber club right now, while the Dodgers are playing well below their standard despite still having elite talent. For Chicago, this was not a fluke upset. The Cubs have now taken the first two games of the series, cannot lose the season series, and have beaten Los Angeles with two different formulas: a 10-5 power game in the opener and a controlled 5-1 pitching-and-timely-hitting win in Game 2. Javier Assad’s outing was especially important because it reinforced a theme for the Cubs: even with rotation questions and injuries, they are getting dependable innings from depth arms. Assad held a top lineup to one run, Ryan Zeferjahn gave them a clean debut inning, and Jacob Webb’s scoreless run continued. Offensively, Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner are also giving Chicago production beyond its headline bats, which is a strong sign for a contender. For the Dodgers, the five-game skid suggests a team in a real funk, not a team lacking upside. Tarik Skubal’s debut was good enough to win on many nights, but the Dodgers again did not give their pitching enough support. That has been part of the problem during this stretch: uneven offense, sloppy overall form, and too many games where their star power has not translated into sustained pressure. Los Angeles remains one of the league’s best teams by record and roster quality, but right now the Cubs look sharper, deeper in execution, and more in rhythm.

3 articles · Updated · Bleacher Nation · Aug 4

Javier Assad held Los Angeles to 1 run over 5.2 innings, lowering his ERA to 3.58 as Chicago clinched at least a split of the season series.
Dansby Swanson sparked the offense with his 17th homer and finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs against Skubal, who allowed 2 runs in 6 innings in his Dodgers debut.
Nico Hoerner delivered the go-ahead infield single in the sixth, then added an eighth-inning homer—his third in nine games—to help stretch the lead to 5-1.
Ryan Zeferjahn threw a perfect eighth in his first Cubs appearance, and Jacob Webb followed with another scoreless outing, extending his run without allowing an earned run since June 20.