Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (3/19/25): Dodgers 6, Cubs 3 – Ohtani, Dodgers Power Past Cubs
The Cubs were hoping for a bounce-back performance after dropping the season opener to the mighty Dodgers in Tokyo on Tuesday. The defending champions quickly disabused any notion Chicago had of a different result Wednesday, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back to win a second consecutive game.
Justin Steele was on the mound for the North Siders and he was not sharp in this one. Los Angeles moved in front with a pair of runs in the top of the 2nd via a passed ball by catcher Carson Kelly and a sacrifice fly by Enrique Hernaández. Tommy Edman yanked a solo home run down the left-field line in the 3rd to put the designated road team on top 3-0.
Hard-throwing rookie Roki Sasaki was wild in his major league debut, loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the 3rd. Kyle Tucker was able to draw a bases-loaded walk to earn his first RBI but the next two hitters came up empty and the Dodgers remained ahead 3-1.
That missed opportunity hurt immediately when Hernández blasted a two-run homer off Steele the following frame to increase LA’s margin to 5-1. Chicago got one of those tallies back with an RBI single by Ian Happ in the bottom of the 4th.
Shohei Ohtani took Nate Pearson deep to center to restore the four-run Dodger lead in the top of the 5th. Matt Shaw collected his first career hit, a comebacker deflected off the glove of pitcher Jack Dreyer. Shaw came home to score on a double by Dansby Swanson that trimmed the deficit to 6-3 in the bottom of the frame.
Chicago had the potential tying run at the plate in the 9th but it amounted to nothing, and Los Angeles sealed the 6-3 victory. (Box score)
Key Moment
Michael Busch struck out looking and Shaw struck out swinging against Sasaki to strand the bases loaded in the 3rd. That was the closest the Cubs would be for the rest of the game.
Why the Cubs Lost
The offense failed to come through despite numerous opportunities with runners on base.
Stats That Matter
- Steele didn’t have his good stuff and you can’t get away with that against the Dodgers: 4 IP, 5 R, 5 H, 5 K, and 1 BB.
- Jon Berti was the Cubs’ offensive star in this one with three hits.
- Swanson got on base two times and has been putting some good swings on the ball.
Bottom Line
The Dodgers are very good and it’s difficult to determine anything about the Cubs, or any team for that matter, in just two games. Obviously, the middle of the lineup will have to do better with runners in scoring position going forward. Now, Chicago can return stateside and focus on finishing spring training and the rest of the season with fewer outside distractions.
On Deck
The Cubs return to Mesa for a few more spring training games before the regular season begins in Arizona against the Diamondbacks on March 27 at 9:10pm CT.
