2026 Dodgers Claim 6-4 Victory in Rubber Match Against Cubs
The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers completed their three-game weekend series on Sunday, April 26th, with the Dodgers prevailing by a final score of 6-0 to win the series two games to one. This game was all Dodgers from the start, as the home team jumped out to an immediate 3-0 lead in the first inning with a sacrifice fly by Andy Pages and a two-run double by Miguel Rojas. They added two more runs in the sixth with Dalton Rushing’s RBI single and Kyle Tucker crossing the plate on an error, and Shohei Ohtani hit a solo home run in the seventh for good measure. The Cubs failed to notch one run in the 6-0 loss. With the win, Los Angeles rises to 19-9 in first place in the NL West, while Chicago is 17-11 in second place in the NL Central. So, what should we take away from the rubber match?
Dodgers Offense is as Unstoppable as Expected
In their dominant victory on Sunday, the Dodgers racked up six hits and five earned runs in 5.1 innings against Chicago’s ace pitcher Shota Imanaga. Leadoff man and four-time MVP winner Ohtani went three for three at the plate with a single, a double, and a home run. Even with other stars on the roster going hitless, namely Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez, who combined for zero hits in seven at-bats, the Los Angeles offense is deep and talented enough to earn a 6-0 victory over a team as talented as the Cubs. The back-to-back defending champions are hungry, and it is starting to show on the diamond.
Cubs Hot Streak May Have Simply Been Due to Weak Competition
Coming into this series against the Dodgers, the Cubs were the hottest team in baseball, winning their 10th straight game in the first meeting of this series, before dropping the second and third games. The thing is, the first nine victories of their hot streak came against the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets, who both hold a record of 9-19 as of April 26th. Chicago claimed the first game against the Dodgers in dramatic comeback fashion, before suffering two consecutive beatdowns to the tune of 12-4 and 6-0. The Cubs were an inconsistent, struggling team before the winning streak against the Mets and Phillies, and now they look mediocre once again when playing a team at the top of their game. Was Chicago’s hot streak a genuine show of their talent, or was it a mirage created by the bad teams in front of the Cubs?
Dodgers Bullpen Might Be an Underrated Unit
The Dodgers have won two World Series titles in a row, so it’s clear at this point that something is working in LA. Most will point to their star-studded batting lineup and dominant starting pitcher rotation as the keys to success, but in their rubber match win against the Cubs, the Dodgers’ relief pitchers came in clutch. While pitching one inning each, Edgardo Henriquez, Jack Dreyer, and Kyle Hurt combined for zero hits and two strikeouts against a very talented offense as the Dodgers cruised to victory. Poor bullpen performance can drag down any team, even one as good as the Dodgers, so it’s a good sign for them that the relief pitchers are not a hindrance to their championship hopes.
