Pro Sports

Hendricks' latest gem helps Cubs complete sweep of A's

Posted August 07, 2016 1:00 am

By Michael Wagaman Associated Press

Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant celebrates after hitting a home run off Oakland Athletics' Sean Manaea in the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

OAKLAND, Calif. - Kyle Hendricks pitched into the eighth inning for his fifth win since June and the Chicago Cubs beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler both homered off A's starter Sean Manaea (3-7). Bryant's home run was his 27th this season, one more than the two-time All-Star had in 2015 when he was the NL's rookie of the year.

The Cubs' seventh straight win improved them to a major league-best 69-41 and marked their 10th series sweep this season. That topped their mark from a year ago, and increased their lead in the NL Central to 11 1/2 games over St. Louis.

Hendricks (11-7) was dominant against an A's team that had dropped seven of eight going into the day. Chicago's right-hander allowed 3 hits over 7⅓ innings, struck out 4 and retired 17 straight before Marcus Semien's 1-out home run in the eighth.

Hendrick lowered his ERA to 2.17, second-lowest in the majors among qualifiers behind the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw.

Pedro Strop retired two batters and Aroldis Champan pitched the ninth for his third save since arriving in a trade from the New York Yankees on July 25.

Bryant and Soler finished with 2 hits apiece for the Cubs. Bryant homered leading off the sixth while Soler - who homered in the series-opener Friday after being activated from the disabled list earlier in the day - hit his seventh home run this season leading off the seventh.

Anthony Rizzo added an RBI-double in the eighth.

The A's had not scored in 19 consecutive innings before Semien hit his 23rd home of the year, a towering solo shot that ended Hendricks' day.

Menaea bounced back from a rough outing against the Angels but remained winless since June 29. The rookie left-hander allowed 2 runs over 6-plus innings, struck out 4 and walked 2.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cubs: Jorge Soler handled the DH duties in all three games against the A's but that will change when Chicago opens a two-game series against the Los Angeles Angels at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. Soler will be back in the outfield, most likely in left where he has started 34 games this season.

Athletics: RHP Sonny Gray was placed on the disabled list with a strained right forearm. It's the second stint on the DL for Gray, who was pulled from his start against the Cubs on Saturday after only five innings. ... Chris Smith, a right-handed reliever, was called up from Triple-A Nashville to replace Gray on the roster.

UP NEXT

Cubs: RHP John Lackey (8-7) pitches the opener against the Angels. Lackey has one win in his last two starts after a five-game losing streak.

Athletics: RHP Kendall Graveman (7-7) faces the Orioles on Monday at the Coliseum. He has been Oakland's most consistent pitcher over the past two months, with six wins in his previous 12 starts.

Chicago Cubs' Jorge Soler celebrates after hitting a home run off Oakland Athletics' Sean Manaea in the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks works against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Oakland Athletics pitcher Sean Manaea works against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Oakland Athletics pitcher Sean Manaea (55) waits for Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant to run the bases, left, after Bryant hit a home run in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

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