Cubs win 6th straight behind 7 perfect bullpen innings
For just the second time this season, the Chicago Cubs didn't get five innings out of their starter, as right-hander Jason Hammel was forced from Monday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers after just two innings due to cramping in his right hamstring.
No biggie, it turned out.
Following Hammel's early exit, four Cubs relievers combined for seven innings of flawless relief. Travis Wood threw four, while Justin Grimm, Pedro Strop, and Hector Rondon tossed one perfect frame apiece to propel Chicago to a 2-0 victory - their sixth straight - before a Memorial Day crowd of 41,470 at Wrigley Field.
No Dodgers player reached base after Adrian Gonzalez's first-inning walk, with the Cubs' staff - including Hammel, who departed after unloading a few warmup pitches in the third - retiring the last 25 hitters.
Hammel, who trails only reigning NL Cy Young award winner Jake Arrieta (1.72) for the team lead in ERA, appreciated the effort:
Whata job by our 'pen! #clutch. Picked me up BIG time & thx 4 all the well wishes @Cubs fans. Pretty sure just cramping. #sorryiblewB2Bnonos
— Jason Hammel (@HammelTime39) May 31, 2016
Cubs manager Joe Maddon, however, felt obligated to single one guy out after his club improved to 35-14 - the second-best start in franchise history - lavishing praise upon left-hander Wood, who fanned four and threw 35 of his 43 pitches for strikes.
"It's Travis Wood's day," Maddon told MLB.com's Carrie Muskat. "He set the whole game up."