On Friday, the Dodgers opened their weekend series with the Chicago Cubs on a windy, 45-degree afternoon.

The first traditional road trip kicked off with quick traffic on the Dodgers base paths, highlighted by a 2-run single from Teoscar Hernández.

Bobby Miller was on the mound for the Dodgers on Friday afternoon, with over 30 friends and family in attendance. On his 25th birthday, the Elk Grove Village, IL native made quick work of the Cubs in the first inning with three quick strikeouts – the third on a 99 mph fastball blown by old friend Cody Bellinger.

The second inning was not as kind to Miller, as he was tagged with five runs and could not finish the inning. Miller labored in the second, throwing 43 pitches and with two outs, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts came out with the hook. The early 6-2 deficit had the Dodgers punching up all afternoon long.

The Cubs continued to swing hot bats, highlighted by a home run by another old friend, a third inning solo shot to right by former Dodger Michael Busch.

With the wind swirling on a cold Friday afternoon in the Windy City, the ball seemed to be flying all around The Friendly Confines. However, as we have already learned from these 2024 Dodgers, fans should never count them out of a game no matter the deficit.

Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani snuck a two-run home run just inside the right field foul pole and Dodgers catcher Will Smith doubled home first baseman Freddie Freeman in the Dodgers three-run fifth inning to cut the Cubs lead to 6-5. Smith was one of the bright spots for the Dodgers with four hits on the day. It was his second four-hit game of the young season.

Chicago again created separation in the sixth inning on a two-run triple by Cubs left fielder Ian Happ followed by a sac fly by right fielder Seiya Suzuki scoring Happ. In that fateful game-deciding bottom of the sixth, Dodgers right-handed reliever Michael Grove gave up three runs, all earned.

The Dodgers answered again in the seventh, capped by another two-run single by Teoscar Hernández to drive in his 13th and 14th RBIs of the season which, as of this writing, leads Major League Baseball.

The Dodgers brought Freeman, Smith, and third baseman Max Muncy to the plate in the top of the ninth and put pressure on Cubs right-handed closer Adbert Alzolay. Down to their final out, the Blue had the tying run on second base when Busch made a game-saving catch on a hard-hit line drive by Dodgers center fielder James Outman that would have tied the game.

A barn burner and bullpen-taxing game was not the ideal situation for Dave Roberts and the Dodgers to start a Midwest road trip that will also make a stop in Minnesota early next week.

Former Dodger great and current broadcaster Orel Hershiser summed Friday’s game best, calling it: “Weird, but good baseball.”

Despite the conditions at Wrigley Field on Friday, fans witnessed quite a bit of offense from both teams.

What’s Next? The Dodgers will try to even up the series at 1:00 p.m. PT on Saturday behind Japanese phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto in his third career MLB start. It will be interesting to see how he fares in the cold elements. Opposite Yamamoto, the Cubs will send out left-hander Jordan Wicks.

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