LOS ANGELES — It only took a few days away from each other for the fortunes of the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers to change.

Five days after the Cubs claimed a series victory over the Dodgers in Chicago Customized New Orleans Saints Jerseys , the teams will get together four more times in Los Angeles starting Monday night. It is a cluster of games that has brought a playoff feel for the clubs that squared off in last fall’s National League Championship Series.

Since they last met a few days ago, the Cubs went to Cincinnati and were swept in a four-game series against the last-place Reds. The Dodgers departed Chicago for New York, where they swept the Mets in a three-game series and also welcomed staff ace Clayton Kershaw off the disabled list.

While Kershaw is scheduled to close out the series on Thursday afternoon, the Dodgers will open against the Cubs with Kenta Maeda (4-4, 3.84 ERA) on the mound.

The right-hander lasted just 3 2/3 innings against the Cubs on Tuesday, giving up three runs and five hits in the Dodgers’ only win during the three-game series. It was his first career start against the Cubs in the regular season.

The Cubs will counter with left-hander Jon Lester (9-2, 2.10), who has won five consecutive starts, beating the Dodgers on Wednesday when he gave up five hits in seven scoreless innings. Lester is 3-3 with a 3.33 ERA in eight career regular-season starts against the Dodgers.

There is no doubting Lester’s roll. He has gone six innings in seven consecutive starts and is 8-2 with a 1.67 ERA in his last 12 outings.

The bigger question surrounds what type of run support Lester will receive. The Cubs have been sporadic on offense, and even while winning two of three over the Dodgers, they scored just nine runs in the series and five total in a doubleheader split Tuesday.

How do the Cubs turn on the offense as their eight-game road trip now heads west?

“I wish I knew the answer to that Youth Rasheem Green Jersey ,” Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo said, according to the Chicago Tribune. “The work is good, the preparation is good. It’s just how this game goes sometimes. Hopefully, we lock in as a unit and stay locked in for a long time.”

The Dodgers managed to score just five runs in their swing through Chicago but went to New York and dropped 21 runs on the Mets in three days.

Aside from their Wrigley Field visit, the Dodgers have been putting runs on the board with ease. They head into Monday’s series opener with 46 home runs in June, including seven on Sunday alone.

“I think that if you look back at our wins, there is a parallel with us hitting a homer and wining a baseball game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Sunday’s game. “I just think as we are going well, we’re not trying to hit homers. I think we’re just trying to put good swings on the ball. When you do that with our guys, with the path of the bat, it’s elevated and that’s just the way our guys swing the bat. Those are good things.”

The Dodgers set a National League record Sunday for most solo home runs in a game and the seven blasts were tied for second most in a game in franchise history.

While the Cubs might be searching for offensive consistency as a whole Youth Will Dissly Jersey , Albert Almora has no such concerns. He had three more hits Sunday, his ninth game with three or more hits, and is 14-for-40 (.350) in his last 13 games, with multiple hits in six of those.

Anibal Sanchez abruptly ended Atlanta’s season-long losing streak.

Sanchez pitched effectively into the seventh and Freddie Freeman added three hits, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

”I know the potential for this team to be in the playoffs is really high,” Sanchez said. ”I’ve been in October games. I can bring a lot of things to October.”

Sanchez (4-2) retired 19 in a row at one point to help snap Atlanta’s season high four-game skid. The veteran right-hander exited with two outs in the seventh after being hit by a liner on his right side near his hip. A red welt was visible on his back, but he said afterward he was fine.

”He never throws a pitch I don’t think that he doesn’t know where he wants to put it,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

Sanchez struck out six in a row at one point. But after two easy outs in the seventh, his day ended quickly following a walk to Hernan Perez.

Perez stole second, and Brad Miller’s line drive deflected off Sanchez and out of shortstop Dansby Swanson’s reach to cut Atlanta’s lead to 2-1.

Sanchez didn’t appear too shaken up – smiling and getting high fives from the Braves dugout after exiting. Reliever Dan Winkler came in and recorded the final out of the inning.

Sanchez allowed one run off two hits and a walk. He finished with eight strikeouts.

”It’s fun to be able to play behind that,” Swanson said. ”He’s been tremendous.”

WILKERSON’S WOES

Brewers spot starter Aaron Wilkerson’s tough day actually started on Friday.

His original flight was delayed after getting called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs Youth Michael Dickson Jersey , so he instead traveled from Colorado Springs to Houston then Chicago. He arrived in Milwaukee at 3:30 a.m. on Saturday.

”And, they lost my bags on the way,” he said. ”It was kind of a rough one. But, it’s not an excuse for anything.”

Wilkerson (0-1) had taken the rotation turn of Brent Suter, who went on the 10-day disabled list with left forearm tightness on Friday.

Johan Camargo’s two-run single off Wilkerson gave Atlanta the lead in the first. Wilkerson allowed two runs off four hits and three walks in five innings. He struck out five.

FLEET-FOOTED FREEMAN

Freeman and Nick Markakis added consecutive run-scoring triples in the eighth as Atlanta scored three times in the inning to put the game out of reach.

Freeman came into the game in a slump, batting .159 over his last 17 games before his three-hit performance.

”I’m starting to feel a little better,” Freeman said. ”I’m seeing pitches, not swinging at balls in the batter’s box. That helps.”

QUICK NICK

Sanchez benefited from a heads up defensive play from Markakis in right field in the first inning. With runners on first and second, Travis Shaw flared a ball that should’ve loaded the bases.

Instead, Jesus Aguilar, at first Youth Alex McGough Jersey , didn’t read the play quickly enough and Markakis fired a strike to Swanson at second base for the first of Sanchez’s 19 straight outs.

”Travis hit a ball that Aggie just didn’t get a good read on,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. ”That was our opportunity against Sanchez, for sure.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: Rookie LF Ronald Acuna Jr. was out of the lineup after leaving with left groin tightness on Friday night.

Brewers: CF Lorenzo Cain (left groin strain) is close to returning from the 10-day disabled list and could be activated as soon as Sunday. … LF Ryan Braun was a late scratch in the starting lineup with tightness in his right side, but pinch hit in the ninth. … RHP Jorge Lopez was recalled for the fifth time this year to provide pitching depth. Infielder Nate Orf was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs.

UP NEXT

Braves: LHP Sean Newcomb (8-3, 3.10 ERA) looks to bounce back Sunday after allowing five runs without getting out of the third inning in an 8-5 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday. RHP Junior Guerra (5-5, 2.87) goes for Milwaukee and is holding opponents to a .217 average in 16 starts this year.

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