Guerrier picks wrong time not to be perfect as Dodgers fall, 10-8, to Cubs
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Matt Guerrier wasn’t going to be perfect forever, but he picked a lousy time to prove vulnerable.
In one of those goofy, wind-blown Wrigley Field games, Chicago scored five runs in the eighth inning Saturday to come back and defeat the Dodgers, 10-8, to snap their three-game winning streak.
Guerrier, he of the 0.00 earned-run average after nine games, pitched a perfect seventh inning but struggled with his control in the eighth.
The Cubs jumped on him with four singles and a walk, Blake Hawksworth giving up a final hit to complete the Chicago scoring.
With the wind blowing out and the Dodgers playing less than sharp defense, they still managed to take an 8-5 lead.
The Dodgers hit three home runs -- one each by Casey Blake, Matt Kemp and Rod Barajas -- and collected 11 hits in the losing cause.
Andre Ethier’s double in the seventh inning -- pushing his hitting streak to 20 games -- gave the Dodgers a 7-5 lead in the sixth.
Former Cub Ted Lilly started for the Dodgers but lasted only 4 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on 11 hits. He never did look in control.
Guerrier took a three-run lead into the eighth, he left with the scored tied and two runners on base before Hawksworth surrendered a double to Jeff Baker to allow the winning runs to score.
One good note for the Dodgers: right-hander Vicente Padilla made his season debut and looked sharp in throwing a perfect sixth inning.
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An air of uncertainty surrounds the Dodgers these days
-- Steve Dilbeck