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Hamels just too tough again on Chicago Cubs

Maybe there is some other league to which Cole Hamels can get traded where he won't torment the Chicago Cubs.

Last July 25, while pitching for the National League's Philadelphia Phillies, Hamels tossed a no-hitter at the Cubs with the wind blowing in at Wrigley Field. Six days later, the Phillies traded him to the American League's Texas Rangers.

It just so happens that the Rangers were in town over the weekend, and on Sunday Hamels took the mound with the wind howling out.

No matter. He struck out the first six batters he faced on the way to a 4-1 victory, enabling the Rangers to salvage the finale of this three-game series.

Hamels pitched 8 innings of 4-hit, 1 run (unearned) ball to outduel Cubs starter John Lackey, who also pitched 8 innings.

“He likes Wrigley, doesn't he?” said Cubs manager Joe Maddon, whose team had its winning streak snapped at three games and fell to 55-36. “The way it started out, it was really looked like, 'Here we go all over again,' and then we started putting the ball in play. We didn't really have any hard contact consistently, but he was good.

“John after that (2-run second) inning, he was really good, also. Both of them pitched really well with the wind blowing out.”

Hamels pitched 1 inning in last Tuesday's All-Star Game, but he hadn't worked in a league game since July 8, when gave up 5 hits and 5 runs in 4⅓ innings against the Minnesota Twins.

“You get a whole week of rest, I guess that helps,” he said. “I know it's the second half. I want to start off right. This is now the 'go' time. This is where you try to catch up or distance yourself; this is where you make your move.

“It's just going out there making quality pitches. I feel I've had enough reps. Obviously the rest is great, but it's a matter of bearing down and getting focused and attacking the teams and the zone and putting together good innings.”

Lackey came out firing as well, working a 1-2-3 first inning on 9 pitches. But in the second, he threw 20 pitches and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits.

“I felt great,” he said. “The story, really, today was Cole. He pitched really well, and we weren't able to do anything against him. I was honestly pretty happy with the way I threw the ball. It was definitely not a good day to pitch, for sure.”

Lackey gave up a single run in the fourth and a leadoff homer to Ian Desmond in the eighth. He also had a few words for home-plate umpire Cory Blaser after coming off the mound in the sixth. Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward got Lackey away from the umpire, and Maddon went out to make peace.

“That's between me and him,” Lackey said, referring to Blaser.

Maddon elaborated, noting that Lackey likes to show emotion on the mound.

“They were talking about Christmas cards for next year,” the manager said. “I was just ameliorating the situation. I was kind of like the arbiter right there.

“It was obviously based on John does the John thing on the mound, and umpires aren't going to like that. I tried to explain to Cory exactly what was going on, and so we got beyond it.

“When John came up to hit right there, I think it was all over. It was good. It was good to let John vent a little bit. He's fine.”

Cubs hitters managed 15 hits over the three days against a Texas pitching staff that might be finding its bearings after a rough go.

Javier Baez drove in the lone Cubs run in the third with an RBI double. The Rangers' 2-run second might have been bigger had center fielder Albert Almora not leapt against the wall to make a catch on a sacrifice fly by Robinson Chirinos.

Even with that, Lackey said he'd like to see the Cubs tighten things up a bit.

“We've got guys who make a lot of great plays,” he said. “But I think a key for us moving forward is play a little bit better fundamentally and do some of the little things better that make a difference in tight games.”

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The Cubs' Javier Baez hits an RBI-double against the Texas Rangers during the third inning of Sunday's loss at Wrigley Field. Associated Press

Scouting report

Cubs vs. New York Mets at Wrigley Field

TV: WPWR Monday; Comcast SportsNet Tuesday; ABC 7 Wednesday

Radio: WSCR 670-AM

Pitching matchups: The Cubs' Jon Lester (9-4) vs. Steven Matz (7-5) Monday at 6:05 p.m.; Jake Arrieta (12-4) vs. Noah Syndergaard (9-4) Tuesday at 6:05 p.m.; Kyle Hendricks (8-6) vs. Bartolo Colon (8-4) Wednesday at 1:20 p.m.

At a glance: The Mets swept four from the Cubs in New York June 30-July 3, outscoring the Cubs 32-11. New York is in a battle with Miami for second place in the NL East and a wild-card spot. The Mets' offensive leaders is Yoenis Cespedes, who has been battling a right-quad strain. He entered Sunday with a line of .302/.372/.583 with 21 homers and 52 RBI. Neil Walker had 16 homers and 40 RBI, and Curtis Granderson had 15 homers and 27 RBI. Pitcher Matt Harvey and third baseman David Wright both are lost for the year with injuries. The Cubs entered Sunday ranked first in the NL in runs scored and on-base percentage. Their pitchers were second in ERA (3.30) while the Mets were third (3.35).

Next: Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park, Friday-Sunday

— Bruce Miles

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