Dodgers’ offense breaks out in rout of Cubs

LOS ANGELES — After Friday’s loss to the Chicago Cubs, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team’s offense needed to build innings and create opportunities to score.

Roberts got exactly what he asked for and the Dodgers had three multi-run innings in a 12-4 rout of the Cubs Saturday to end Chicago’s 10-game winning streak.

The Dodgers (18-9) scored two runs in the third, broke the game open with six runs in the fourth and added four runs in the sixth. It was the fifth time this season the Dodgers have scored at least 10 runs, which is the most in the major leagues.

“We broke out tonight. It was good,” Roberts said. “We got a lot of two-out hits tonight and that was big. Up and down the lineup, a lot of good stuff.”

Trailing 3-2, the Dodgers batted around in the six-run fourth inning and had five hits. Hyeseong Kim singled and subsequently scored on a double off the left field wall by Alex Freeland to tie the game.

Freddie Freeman singled to score Freeland and Max Muncy drew a walk to load the bases. Teoscar Hernandez, who had been on a 2 for 28 slump entering Saturday, hit a two-run single to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 6-3.

Dalton Rushing and Andy Pages each hit run-scoring singles to give the Dodgers a 5-run lead.

“We smelt an opportunity and took advantage of it,” Rushing said. “That’s what good offenses do. You just kind of pass that bat along the line.”

In the sixth inning, Pages hit a two-run double to extend the lead to 10-4. Kim drove in a run with a groundout later in the inning, and Pages scored on a wild pitch.

The Dodgers needed the run support to back up starting pitcher Roki Sasaki, who got his first win of the season despite struggling through five innings. The win was the first for Sasaki since May 3 of last season and his second career win.

Sasaki gave up three home runs to the Cubs (17-10) in five innings on seven hits with four earned runs allowed.

Roberts was encouraged by Sasaki’s outing, particularly with the success of his splitter. Sasaki was throwing the splitter harder with an average of nearly 91 miles per hour which is six miles per hour harder than he has averaged this season.

“I thought tonight was Roki’s best outing. I don’t think the line does it justice,” Roberts said. “I think him and Connor (McGuiness) and Mark (Prior) were working on some things and wanted to add a little bit more velocity to it. It simulates a fastball more versus some type of off-speed pitch. Good stuff to build off of.”

The Dodgers’ bullpen did what it couldn’t do Friday and protected a 4-run lead when the starting pitcher left the game.

Jack Dreyer had two strikeouts in the sixth, and Will Klein drew a groundout to strand the two runners Sasaki left on base. Klein pitched 1⅓ innings with one hit allowed and two strikeouts.

Kyle Hurt and Jake Eder pitched in mop-up duty in the latter innings and each threw a scoreless inning.

Max Muncy hit a two-run home run and walked twice before leaving the game in the fourth inning for a pinch runner. Roberts said prior to the game that Muncy was feeling sick and may only get a few plate appearances Saturday.

Kim had his third consecutive multi-hit game for the Dodgers. The Dodgers went 7 for 18 with runners in scoring position.

The Cubs had outscored their opponents 72-31 during their 10-game winning streak entering Saturday.