SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Steven Duggar and Alex Dickerson homered off Jake Arrieta as part of a six-run second inning, and the San Francisco Giants thumped the Chicago Cubs 8-5 on Friday night.
Jason Vosler and LaMonte Wade Jr. added back-to-back shots in the fourth, helping the Giants to their second consecutive victory over the Cubs. San Francisco has won eight of 10.
It was the fourth time this season San Francisco has hit four or more home runs in a game.
“We’re competitive. We believe that we can really push and win the (NL) West,” Dickerson said. “That’s been our goal from the start and we never thought it was ridiculous to say that. We plan on being there all year.”
Kris Bryant hit his 13th home run for Chicago. Joc Pederson also connected. The Cubs have lost consecutive games for the first time since dropping three straight to the Pirates and Indians from May 9-12.
Duggar matched his career-best with his fourth home run, a two-run drive that put the Giants ahead 3-2. After Donovan Solano singled and Mike Tauchman walked, Arrieta retired two before Dickerson sent a 3-2 pitch over the brick wall in right.
Vosler had a pinch-hit home run off Keegan Thompson. Wade followed with his second homer of the year.
“When you go down 2-0 against a team like the Cubs you know it’s going to be a bit of a fight, you know you’re going to have to score some runs,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “We’ve been stinging together good at-bats up and down the lineup for some time now.”
Conner Menez (1-0), the third of five relievers used by Kapler after starter Scott Kazmir lasted two innings, retired six batters to win. Tyler Rogers pitched the ninth for his seventh save.
Kazmir allowed two run and three hits and threw 30 pitches. The three-time All-Star was activated off the restricted list before the game after spending the previous four days in Texas tending to personal matters.
Bryant homered off Kazmir after Wilson Contreras singled leading off the game.
Pederson’s two-run shot off Dominic Leone in the fourth cut the lead to 6-4.
Arrieta (5-6) allowed six runs and six hits in two innings. The 2015 NL Cy Young winner has lost five of his last seven starts.
“I think he’s just fighting himself a little bit mechanically,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “He needs to get back to getting over the top with the baseball and getting some action there. The offense did a nice job of competing. We couldn’t quite get the zeroes when we needed them.”
CUBS TEMPERS FLARE
Chicago’s Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras had to be separated when the two got into a heated discussion in the Cubs dugout between innings. At one point, Ross stepped in and gently moved Rizzo to the other end of the dugout away from Contreras.
“That’s just part of the family atmosphere you get in baseball, guys competing at the highest level and trying to continue to fight,” Ross said. “Sometimes you’re not going to see eye to eye. We’ve got a close-knit group. I don’t think it’s anything that’s a huge deal or anything I’m extremely worried about.”
Rizzo also downplayed what happened.
“I love Willson. The way he plays for this team, for our city, you can’t match it in this league,” Rizzo said. “It’s just one of those incidents. In any working environment you’re going to run into things here and there. It happened, it was on television unfortunately, but it’s easy for us to move on.”
SHORT HOPS
Brandon Crawford played in his 1,324th game at shortstop, two shy of breaking Travis Jackson’s franchise record of 1,325. Crawford isn’t due to get a day off and will likely get the mark Sunday in the series finale with the Cubs. … Chicago 3B Patrick Wisdom singled in three at-bats and is batting .407 (11 for 27) in 11 games since being called up May 25. … San Francisco RHP Nick Tropeano was optioned after Thursday’s game to Triple-A Sacramento and designated for assignment to clear roster room for Kazmir’s return.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: RHP Trevor Williams rejoined the team in San Francisco although Ross said no timeline for Williams playing again has been set. Williams has missed five games since undergoing an emergency appendectomy.
Giants: 3B Evan Longoria had an RBI single in his return after missing three games with right side soreness. … Wilmer Flores flied out as a pinch-hitter in the fifth, one day after being taken out because of a tight hamstring. … 1B Brandon Belt (left oblique strain) took grounders and played catch from 120 feet before the game.
UP NEXT
Giants RHP Kevin Gausman (6-0, 1.40 ERA), the NL’s Pitcher of the Month after winning all five starts in May, faces the Cubs on Saturday. RHP Kohl Stewart (1-0, 0.00) makes his second start for Chicago since being called up from Triple-A Iowa on Monday.
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