San Francisco Giants vs Chicago Cubs Match Player Stats On May 23, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 23, 2017

CHICAGO -- Jon Lester allowed one run on four hits and struck out a season-high 10 in a complete game -- his first of the year -- as the Chicago Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants 4-1 on Tuesday night.

Kyle Schwarber, Jason Heyward and Anthony Rizzo provided offensive support with home runs as the Cubs (23-21) won their second in three games.

The victory was the second straight for Lester (3-2), who struck out a pair in the ninth and is now 5-1 lifetime against San Francisco.

Giants starter Johnny Cuteo (4-4) allowed four runs on five hits, walked one and struck out eight in a six-inning effort.

The Giants (20-27) are still 8-3 over their last 11 games.

Lester, whose longest outings this season were a pair of seven-inning starts, threw 99 pitches -- 70 for strikes -- and didn't issue a walk. He is now 13-2 at Wrigley Field since the start of last season and has a 12-game home winning streak.

His previous complete game came on Sept. 2, 2016, a 2-1 victory also over San Francisco.

Schwarber's seventh homer of the season opened scoring in the last of the first. The bases-empty homer to right came on a Cueto's full count pitch and landed outside the park on Sheffield Avenue.

Heyward made it 2-0 with his fourth home run with one out in the second, sending a first-pitch shot into the right field basket.

Rizzo slugged a two-run, first-pitch home run in the fourth for a 4-0 lead. His ninth homer of the season brought in Kris Bryant, who had reached on a leadoff single.

Lester gave up a second-inning hit when Schwarber missed on a diving try on Justin Ruggiano's long fly to left.

He allowed three more hits in a one-run Giants fourth as Brandon Crawford doubled home Buster Posey from second to trim the deficit to 4-1.

The start of the game was delayed 70 minutes as rain moved through the Chicago area much of the afternoon before easing.

NOTES: The Giants hit three solo home runs on Monday and now have hit 18 consecutive solo homers. ... San Francisco RHP Mark Melancon has successfully converted nine of 11 save opportunities, including his last four. ... Rehabbing Giants INF Conor Gillespie (back spasms) is 2-for-13 in four games with Triple-A Sacramento, while INF Aaron Hill (right forearm strain) is 2-for-9 with two runs scored in three games with the River Cats. ... The Giants sent LHP Matt Moore (2-4, 5.37 ERA) against Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-2, 3.35 ERA) on Wednesday. ... Cubs 3B Kris Bryant and 1B Anthony Rizzo each have had nine career multi-homer games before their 26th birthdays, third in franchise history behind Ron Santo and Sammy Sosa (10 each). ... Chicago 2B Ben Zobrist's third-inning single extended his on-base streak to 21 consecutive games dating back to April 28. His longest was a 23-game run in 2011.