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Cubs Rock Rookie Julio Urias with 4 Homers in 7-2 Victory Over Dodgers

Chicago hit four home runs, three off of rookie Julio Urias, and the Cubs beat the Dodgers 7-2, on Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

CHICAGO – The learning curve continues for Dodgers' rookie Julio Urias.

Jason Heyward and Kris Bryant hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning and the Cubs added two more big blasts as they beat the Dodgers 7-2, on Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

Chicago hit four total home runs off Dodgers pitchers, as they took three-out-of-four from the boys in blue, sending them back to Los Angeles with a losing road trip. 

"We had a chance to split the series, but to their credit they pitched well," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the media after the series. "Today we played into their hands."

Urias (0-1) made his second Major League start in place of Kenta Maeda who will pitch on Friday at Dodger Stadium. The 19-year-old phenom lasted longer into the game than he did in his first start last week in New York, but still struggled, as he served up three home runs in the first loss of his young career.

"Every day he takes the mound is a learning lesson," Roberts added. "He left a few balls up and they made him pay. When you elevate in the strike zone, there is damage to be had."

Urias allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits with four strikeouts in five innings as his ERA skyrocketed to 9.39 to start his career.

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"I felt more comfortable today and I felt like my pitches were hitting their spots," Urias said through a translator. "My pitches were there, but the pitches I missed, those were the ones they capitalized on."

The Cubs utilized a soft-hitting approach off the teenager in the early innings, plating two runs in the second inning on a leadoff walk and two soft singles that gave Chicago an early 2-0 lead.

Two innings later, Javier Baez, clobbered a first pitch changeup into the bleacher seats in left field for a two-run shot that gave the Cubs a 4-0 lead.

Trayce Thompson cut into the lead with a solo shot off Kyle Hendricks in the fifth inning, but Urias ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth as he surrendered back-to-back blasts to Heyward and Bryant, the latter of which hit off the video board in left field.

The Dodgers added another run in the top of the sixth as rookie Corey Seager recorded his team-leading 28th RBI of the season on a sacrifice fly that scored Enrique Hernandez.

Hendricks (4-4) was sensational for the Cubbies, allowing just two runs on three hits with six strikeouts in eight innings of work. Chicago lowered their MLB-leading ERA to 2.61 with the victory.

"He's a very efficient pitcher," Thompson said of Hendricks after his homer. "I've faced him since Single-A. He gets us to get ourselves out a lot. He does an amazing job with what he has. It just wasn't our day."

Anthony Rizzo belted the Cubs fourth homer of the day off J.P. Howell in the bottom of the eighth inning. 

Travis Wood pitched his fifth consecutive inning against the Dodgers without allowing a hit with a scoreless ninth inning of relief.

Players of the Game: 

Javier Baez: 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and three RBI.
Jason Heyward: 2-for-4 with a home run.
Trayce Thompson: Solo home run.

Three Takeaways:

1. Four!!!: The Los Angeles Dodgers served up a season-high four home runs to the Cubs on Thursday, the most they've allowed since May 4th, against Tamp Bay.

2. New Number, Same Result: Instead of wearing the No. 78 that he donned during his MLB debut last Friday in New York, 19-year-old pitcher Julio Urias wore No. 7 against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, after Alex Guerrero was designated for assignment earlier in the week. No. 7 is reportedly Urias's favorite number.

3. Pitcher of the Month: As expected, Clayton Kershaw was voted the National League Pitcher of the Month for May as he posted a 5-0 record with a league-leading 0.91 ERA. He had 65 strikeouts and just two walks in the month.

Up Next:
Dodgers (28-27): Kenta Maeada heads to the mound with an extra day of rest as the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Atlanta Braves on Friday at 7:10 PM PST.

Cubs (37-15): Chicago hosts the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three-game weekend series at 11:20AM on Friday.

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