Tarik Skubal makes quality start but loses Dodgers debut to Cubs

Field Level Media|published: Tue 4th August, 22:57 2026

Aug 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Javier Assad (72) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Dansby Swanson went 3-for-4 with a homer and a double for the Chicago Cubs in a 5-1 win against the visiting Dodgers on Tuesday, helping spoil the Los Angeles debut of left-hander Tarik Skubal.

Nico Hoerner singled and homered while Pete Crow-Armstrong contributed two hits, an RBI and a run for the Cubs, who won the opener of the three-game series 10-5 on Monday.

Cubs starter Javier Assad gave up one run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out three and walked two. Ryan Rolison (6-1) retired all three batters he faced.

Skubal (7-6), the reigning two-time AL Cy Young Award winner who was acquired from the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, pitched six innings and allowed two runs on four hits. He walked two and struck out six.

Kyle Tucker homered for the Dodgers, who have lost a season-high five in a row.

The Cubs won for the eighth time in 12 games.

With the score tied 1-1 in the sixth inning, Chicago's Seiya Suzuki walked on four pitches with one out. Alex Bregman then hit a long fly ball just out of the reach of Tucker in right and off the wall for a double, putting runners on second and third.

Michael Busch hit a hard grounder to Tommy Edman playing in at second base, and Edman threw out Suzuki at the plate. However, Hoerner followed with a high chopper over the mound for an infield single, scoring Bregman for a 2-1 lead.

Alex Vesia came out of the Los Angeles bullpen for the seventh and gave up a leadoff double to Swanson before Crow-Armstrong came through with a two-out RBI single to extend the gap to 3-1.

Evan Phillips then took over on the mound, and Suzuki greeted him with a run-scoring single.

Hoerner tacked on a solo home run in the eighth, increasing the advantage to 5-1.

Ryan Zeferjahn tossed a perfect eighth inning in his Cubs debut, a day after he was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels.

Tucker came up with two outs in the second, and the former Cub lifted a sinker over the wall in left-center field for an opposite-field homer and a 1-0 lead.

After Skubal retired the first six batters he faced, Swanson clubbed the first pitch of the third deep over the fence in left-center to tie it 1-1.

--Field Level Media

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