Chicago Cubs turn lights out on Kershaw, Dodgers

It was a strange night all the way around Monday at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2.

First, Cubs starting pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada had to leave the game in the third inning with cramping in his left deltoid.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, a few of the ballpark lights went out, prompting a 10-minute delay with Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw pitching.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon discussed the situation with umpires, and when the umps ruled the game would resume with the lights still out, Maddon informed them the Cubs were playing under protest. That protest became moot with the Cubs' victory.

"I didn't like the idea that we had to play against a guy that's really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really good," Maddon said. "You've got to see spin. You've got to be able to read everything. I did not like the fact that we had to go out and play without all the lights on.

"Just be a little more patient and wait for the lights. That was my argument. That's it. Nothing more complicated than that. I just thought it was inappropriate."

The Cubs were helped probably more than they know by Sunday's complete game by Jake Arrieta.

The bullpen had to get right back to work Monday when Wada left the game after facing two batters in the third. He will be evaluated again Tuesday. Travis Wood, whose spot in the rotation was taken by Wada, came in to pitch.

Wada looked OK in the first two innings as he retired the first six Dodgers he faced. In the third, Kike Hernandez led off with a home run to left field. After A.J. Ellis singled, pitching coach Chris Bosio came out along with the trainer, and Wada's night was done.

The Cubs took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning on Kris Bryant's 2-run homer, an opposite-field drive to right. In the eighth, Bryant homered off reliever Adam Liberatore for his first career multihomer game. Bryant has 10 homers for the season.

"It's cool," Bryant said. "Another notch in the belt, I guess. It's cool to do that. Those are always good games you'll remember forever."

The Cubs are a season-high eight games over .500 at 38-30.

Schwarber to Iowa:

As expected, the Cubs optioned catcher Kyle Schwarber to Class AAA Iowa. They recalled outfielder Matt Szczur from Iowa. Szczur homered in Monday's seventh inning.

Used mostly as a DH, Schwarber went 8-for-22 (.364) with a triple, a home run and 6 RBI.

"Kyle did a great job," team president Theo Epstein said. "He contributed on the field to a few wins. He really handled himself well in the clubhouse with his teammates and I think earned a lot of respect for his approach to the game."

Injury updates:

Cubs players on the disabled list seem to be getting closer to returning. Right-handed reliever Neil Ramirez, who has been out since April 16 with right-shoulder inflammation, will move from Class AA Tennessee to Iowa to continue his minor-league rehab assignment.

Third baseman Mike Olt, who suffered a hairline fracture of his right wrist in April, also will move from Tennessee to Iowa.

In Monday's game, center fielder Dexter Fowler left in the fifth inning after spraining his left ankle running the bases in the third. He was expected to get X-rays. His situation was termed day to day.