Can the Cubs' Explosive Sixth Inning Spark a Turnaround Against the Dodgers?

In an action-packed face-off at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers displayed their offensive capabilities, with the final score reflecting a tight contest at 9-7. The home team's record now stands at 5-2, while the visitors from Los Angeles hold a 7-3 record.

The game was marked by an impressive display of hitting from both sides. The Cubs' bats were particularly hot, with a .300 batting average and an on-base plus slugging (OPS) of 1.005. They managed to rack up nine hits and capitalized on their opportunities by driving in eight runs. A pivotal moment came during the second inning when they exploded for five runs off four hits, setting a strong early pace.

The Cubs' hitters showed discipline at the plate with five walks contributing to an on-base percentage (OBP) of .405. They also demonstrated power, tallying four extra-base hits including two home runs which contributed to their .600 slugging percentage (SLG). Clutch hitting was on display as well; three out of five at-bats with runners in scoring position resulted in hits.

Defensively, the Chicago team was flawless with no errors recorded and maintained a perfect fielding percentage (FPCT) of 1.0 throughout nine innings. Their pitchers struck out twelve batters against four walks but gave up seven earned runs over nine innings pitched for an earned run average (ERA) of 7.0.

On the mound for Los Angeles Dodgers was Drew Smyly who secured his first win despite giving up multiple runs early in his outing. The bullpen held firm for them as Julian Merryweather recorded a hold and Adbert Alzolay notched his first save of the season despite having one blown save previously.

As fans look ahead, they can mark their calendars for another exciting matchup between these two teams scheduled for April 6th at Wrigley Field where they can catch all the action live on Fox Sports 1 starting at 8:05 PM Central Time.