Sports

Hamels, Rangers Top Cubs 4-1

July 17, 2016 / 5:19 PM CDT / CBS Texas

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CHICAGO (AP) — Cole Hamels pitched eight dominant innings in his first game at Wrigley Field since throwing a no-hitter at the famed ballpark a year ago, and the Texas Rangers stopped a four-game slide by topping the Chicago Cubs 4-1 Sunday.

Hamels (10-2) struck out his first six batters. He fanned seven overall and gave up just an unearned run on four hits.

Last summer, the lefty threw a no-hitter and struck out 13 at Wrigley in his final start for Philadelphia. He was then traded to the Rangers.

Sam Dyson struck out three in the ninth for his 19th save in 21 chances.

Ian Desmond homered and Robinson Chirinos drove in two runs as Texas avoided a three-game sweep in the matchup of division leaders. The Cubs had won three in a row.

John Lackey (7-6) allowed four runs and six hits in eight innings as his winless streak reached seven starts. He is 14-16 in 41 starts against Texas, the team he's faced most often in his career.

Hamels fanned the side in the first two innings. The streak ended when Matt Szczur popped out and Albert Almora Jr. reached on third baseman Adrian Beltre's error in the third. Javier Baez doubled home a run.

Elvis Andrus' RBI single and Chirinos' sacrifice fly put the Rangers ahead in the second. Almora made a leaping catch in center field to rob Chirinos of extra bases.

Chirinos hit an RBI double after Lackey walked the first two batters in the fourth.

Desmond led off the eighth with his 16th home run.

The Cubs got back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the seventh before a double play and groundout ended the rally.

Lackey appeared to argue with home plate umpire Cory Blaser after the top of the sixth before right fielder Jason Heyward got between them. Cubs manager Joe Maddon then addressed Blaser.