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Dodgers hope for series victory over Cubs

Aug 3, 2014 - 2:25 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Dodgers will try to pad their lead atop the National League West standings on Sunday afternoon in the finale of a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs.

The Dodgers lost the opener on Friday to see a six-game winning streak snapped, but bounced back last night on Hanley Ramirez's first career walk-off homer.

Ramirez came to bat in the bottom of the 12th inning with two runners on base and belted a hanging curveball from Blake Parker over the wall in left for a 5-2 victory.

"I was watching the way he was pitching to my teammates," Ramirez said. "I think he made a mistake and I made a good swing."

Jamey Wright tossed two scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win, while starter Hyun-Jin Ryu yielded two runs over seven innings as Los Angeles moved 3 1/2 games up on the second-place San Francisco Giants in the division.

Tsuyoshi Wada also recorded a no-decision in opposing Ryu for the Cubs. The Japanese southpaw surrendered two runs on six hits with six punchouts over 5 2/3 innings.

"Wada did a nice job," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "We competed. We had opportunities. We just couldn't get them in, and they came out on top."

The Cubs had won two straight as well as four of their last five and today will again look for right-hander Edwin Jackson to get on track.

Jackson is coming off a month of July in which he went 0-3 with a 7.50 earned run average in six starts. He lasted a mere four innings versus Colorado on Tuesday, tossing 105 pitches while getting charged with three runs on six hits and three walks in a no-decision.

The 30-year-old is 5-11 with a 5.79 ERA on the year and 3-2 lifetime against the Dodgers with a 3.46 ERA.

Josh Beckett takes the mound for the Dodgers as he attempts to work through a left hip impingement. He has struggled in two starts since the All-Star break as he deals with the ailment.

Beckett allowed four runs and three homers over 3 2/3 innings versus Pittsburgh on July 22, then yielded four runs on nine hits and four walks in 4 1/3 frames against Atlanta on Tuesday. The righty got a no-decision in both outings and is 6-5 with a 2.74 ERA on the year.

"Josh got a little better as the game went along," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said after his club rallied for an 8-4 win over the Braves.

The 34-year-old Beckett is 1-3 with a 5.79 ERA in four previous encounters with the Cubs.

The Dodgers have won 10 of their last 12 against the Cubs, going 6-2 at home in that span.