Cubs starting pitcher Drew Smyly lays on the ground after colliding with catcher Yan Gomes on the play that ended Smyly’s bid for a perfect game in the eighth inning against the Dodgers on Friday in Chicago. Erin Hooley/Associated Press
CHICAGO — Drew Smyly lost a perfect game bid when he collided with his catcher while trying to field an eighth-inning dribbler that went for an infield single in the Chicago Cubs’ 13-0 rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.
Nico Hoerner hit a three-run homer with four hits and four RBI as Chicago won for the fifth time in six games. Cody Bellinger went deep for the second straight day and third time this season against his former team. Trey Mancini and Patrick Wisdom also connected.
Smyly (2-1) struck out 10 and walked none in 7 2/3 innings. He threw 68 of his season-high 103 pitches for strikes.
David Peralta accounted for Los Angeles’ only baserunner against Smyly on a 32.9 mph leadoff dribbler in the eighth that trickled between third base and the mound. Smyly and Yan Gomes each went for the grounder, and the catcher tumbled over the pitcher as the left-hander picked up the ball.
Smyly was checked by Manager David Ross and an athletic trainer, but stayed in the game. He retired Miguel Vargas on a popup to third and struck out James Outman before he was pulled by Ross.
Smyly received a thunderous ovation from the crowd of 30,381 as he made his way to the dugout at Wrigley Field.
There have been 23 perfect games, including Don Larsen’s in the World Series. Seattle’s Félix Hernández pitched the last in 2012.
Jeremiah Estrada finished a one-hitter for Chicago. Nick Madrigal robbed Jason Heyward with a diving grab at second base for the final out.
The Cubs became the second team to score double-digit runs six times in its first 19 games, matching the 1885 Chicago White Stockings.
The Dodgers lost for the fourth time in six games. Julio Urías (3-2) allowed five runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings after losing to the Cubs in his previous start.
Chicago broke open the game with seven runs in the fifth inning. Wisdom hit a three-run shot for his ninth homer. Mancini singled in Bellinger before Hoerner hit a drive to left for his first homer of the season.
PHILLIES 4, ROCKIES 3: Edmundo Sosa drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning on a single misplayed by Colorado left fielder Jurickson Profar, Kyle Schwarber hit a tying solo homer and host Philadelphia rallied for a win over the Rockies.
J.T. Realmuto led off the eighth with a double off Hand and stole third base. Hand retired the next two batters and got Sosa to loft one to left that Profar took a bad route on and he trapped the ball on a bounce. Realmuto scored to complete the Phillies’ rally from a 3-0 hole in the first inning.
Aaron Nola tossed seven strong innings for the Phillies. Seranthony Domínguez (1-1) worked a scoreless eighth for the win and José Alvarado tossed a scoreless ninth for this third save.
PIRATES 4, REDS 2: Connor Joe had three hits and reached base four times to back a strong start by Mitch Keller and lead Pittsburgh over visiting Cincinnati for its fifth straight win.
At 14-7, the Pirates are off to their best start since 2002. Pittsburgh lost 101 games in 2021 and 100 last season.
Cincinnati has lost four in a row and is 5-12 since opening the season by winning two of three from the Pirates. The Reds have five runs and 22 hits during the losing streak — 19 singles and two doubles.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
RAYS 8, WHITE SOX 7: Christian Bethancourt hit a leadoff homer in the ninth and Brandon Lowe followed with a walkoff two-run shot off Reynaldo López to lead Tampa Bay over Chicago in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Harold Ramírez had a two-run homer off Michael Kopech during a four-run first for the Rays, who matched the 2019 Seattle Mariners as the only teams since 1901 to homer in each of their first 20 games.
ORIOLES 2, TIGERS 1: Adam Frazier hit a run-scoring grounder in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Baltimore its fourth straight victory, over visiting Detroit.
With the Tigers down to their last strike in the ninth, Javier Báez hit a tying single off Orioles closer Félix Bautista (2-1), snapping a 34-inning scoreless streak by Baltimore pitchers. The Orioles immediately answered.
Ryan Mountcastle hit a one-out single off Jason Foley (0-1), then went to third on a single by Anthony Santander. Frazier followed with a soft grounder to the right side, and first baseman Spencer Torkelson’s throw home was not in time to get Mountcastle.
BLUE JAYS 6, YANKEES 1: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. put Toronto ahead in the first inning with his 11th home run in the Bronx and Brandon Belt drove in four runs to lead the Blue Jays over New York.
Yusei Kikuchi (3-0) allowed one run and four hits in six innings and has a 1.91 ERA over five starts and one relief appearance at Yankee Stadium. Erik Swanson, Trevor Richards and Yimi García finished a five-hitter.
NOTES
MARLINS: Miami placed pitcher Trevor Rogers on the 15-day injured list with a left biceps strain.
Rogers left Wednesday’s start against San Francisco after allowing hits to the first two batters in the fourth inning and throwing 22 pitches. He was charged with one run in three innings.
“The competitor in me never wants to get taken out of a game, but hopefully this will help get the tightness calmed down,” Rogers said. “I’d rather it be now than later in the season.”
Rogers is 1-2 with a 4.00 ERA in four starts this season. He has allowed eight earned runs, and 16 hits with 19 strikeouts in 18 innings.
DODGERS: Los Angeles placed right-hander Michael Grove on the 15-day injured list with a right groin strain.
Los Angeles also selected the contract of right-hander Jake Reed from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Right-hander Ryan Pepiot, who is coming back from a left oblique strain, was transferred to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man roster.
WHITE SOX: Chicago Manager Pedro Grifol welcomed the news that White Sox closer Liam Hendriks is in remission from non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
“We’ve all prayed and prayed and prayed for his recovery,” Grifol said before the White Sox played Friday night at the Tampa Bay Rays. “What lifts my spirit is the fact he’s cancer-free. It has nothing to do with baseball. That was the most important thing for me, for us, for this organization, for every single fan. We’re all here, opened arms, waiting for him to get here whenever he’s ready.”
Hendriks announced his diagnosis in January and completed his final round of chemotherapy two weeks ago. Hendriks said Thursday he is cancer-free.
A three-time All-Star, Hendriks was third in the majors with 37 saves and made his third All-Star team last season. The Australian led the AL with a career-high 38 saves in 2021 after leaving Oakland to sign a $54 million, three-year contract with the White Sox.
YANKEES: Third baseman Josh Donaldson will remain on the injured list because of a strained right hamstring after feeling discomfort during a minor league rehabilitation assignment.
The former AL MVP was injured on April 5 in the Yankees’ sixth game this season while running between home and first on a flyout. He went 1 for 3 on Tuesday in his first game with Double-A Somerset and felt the tightness, then was sent for a scan.
BREWERS: Milwaukee rookie center fielder Garrett Mitchell is at risk of missing the rest of the season after an MRI revealed significant damage to his left shoulder.
Brewers Manager Craig Counsell said that Mitchell is getting a second opinion. If Mitchell has to undergo surgery, Counsell said that would “definitely put the rest of the season in jeopardy.”
ANGELS: Los Angeles placed promising rookie catcher Logan O’Hoppe on the 10-day injured list due to a problem with his left shoulder.
O’Hoppe is still undergoing tests before the Angels determine the severity of his injury, Manager Phil Nevin said.
O’Hoppe first injured his shoulder on a swing Monday in Boston. He injured it again while hitting a single Thursday in the ninth inning of the Angels’ road loss to the Yankees.
ROYALS: Left-hander Kris Bubic will have Tommy John surgery next week, the team announced.
Bubic experienced forearm tightness last weekend during his start against Atlanta, and further examination revealed he needed major surgery. Dr. Neal ElAttrache will perform the procedure in Los Angeles.
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