>>Lester, Bryant Lead Cubs By Dodgers
Jon Lester pitched a four-hitter for his first complete game of the season, helping the Chicago Cubs edge the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 on Wednesday despite another lackluster night at the plate.
The Cubs finished with just three hits against Mike Bolsinger and two relievers after they managed only one in Tuesday night's 5-0 loss to Los Angeles. But one of Chicago's hits was a long, two-run homer to center field by Kris Bryant in the third inning, and Lester (6-3) took over from there.
The left-hander struck out 10 and walked none in his second straight win, settling down quite nicely after Kike Hernandez's leadoff homer on his second pitch. He retired his last 15 batters and threw 113 pitches in his 13th career complete game and first since a 2-1 win at Pittsburgh on Sept. 15.
Kyle Hendricks (3-4, 2.93 ERA) starts for Chicago on Thursday against Dodgers top prospect Julio Urias (0-0, 10.13 ERA). Hendricks pitched a five-hitter in a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia on Saturday.
>>Sox Get By Mets in Extras
Pitcher Matt Albers doubled leading off the 13th inning for his first hit since 2007 and scored the tiebreaking run, his first major league run, as the Chicago White Sox rallied past the New York Mets 2-1 on Wednesday, helped by Todd Frazier's major league-leading 17th homer.
Albers (2-4) relieved White Sox closer David Robertson to start the 12th and led off the 13th in his first at-bat since 2009. With the outfield playing shallow, he lined a 1-2 pitch from Logan Verrett (3-3) to left-center, and the ball rolled to the fence on two hops. Unaccustomed to baserunning, Albers didn't slide at second and steadied himself against second baseman Neil Walker to avoid coming off the base.
A 33-year-old right-hander who has spent most of his career in the American League, Albers had been 2 for 34 (.059) at the plate in his major league career and had not even batted since 2009. He chugged to third on a wild pitch that went to the backstop and scored standing up on Jose Abreu's sacrifice fly.
Carlos Rodon (2-4) is scheduled to pitch Friday's series opener at Detroit, which starts RHP Jordan Zimmermann (7-2).
>>Brewers Drop Cardinals
Zach Davies had a career-high nine strikeouts over eight shutout innings, and the Milwaukee Brewers averted a three-game sweep with a 3-1 win over their NL Central rivals.
Davies (3-3) allowed three hits and retired 13 in a row to finish the longest outing of his young career before yielding to Jeremy Jeffress. The closer gave up a pinch-hit solo homer to Brandon Moss before retiring the final three batters for his 13th save.
The Brewers scratched out two runs in the first off Jaime Garcia (4-5) and added insurance with Martin Maldonado's solo homer in the sixth.
Garcia allowed five hits, three walks and two runs before departing after five innings.
Following an off day, St. Louis returns home on Friday to open a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants. Right-handed ace Adam Wainwright (5-3) gets the start. He is 5-0 in his last seven games.
