CHICAGO—Hayden Wesneski threw 6 1/3 innings, Michael Busch hit a two-run home run, and the Chicago Cubs shut out the Los Angeles Angels 5–0 on Sunday.
Wesneski (3–5) allowed a single to the second batter he faced, then retired the next 18 Angels to help Chicago win a series for the first time in five tries. He allowed a hit, a walk, and struck out two.
“I filled up the zone and made them swing earlier than they wanted to,” Wesneski said. “It’s always nice to help the bullpen.”
Relievers Porter Hodge, Luke Little, and Héctor Neris finished the three-hit shutout, and Miguel Amaya added two hits and an RBI for Chicago. Neris got the final out for his 12th save after Los Angeles loaded the bases.
Angels starter José Soriano (4–7) gave up three runs and six hits while striking out three and walking one in five innings.
Amaya and Nico Hoerner drove in runs in the third to give the Cubs a 2–0 lead, and Amaya scored again in the fifth on a double-play grounder. Busch gave the bullpen some insurance in the seventh when he sent a Matt Moore pitch into right field for his 11th homer of the season.
Wesneski won for the first time in five starts. He took Luis Guillorme’s hopper off his right hand in the third inning but stayed in the game.
“I knew it wasn’t all that serious,” he said of the play, which started a 1-6-3 putout.
The Angels have dropped six of their past seven games.
“We couldn’t get anything going,” Manager Ron Washington said after his team finished a 1–5 trip that followed a 6–1 homestand. “We left home, and it’s like we forgot what we’re doing.”
Trainer’s Room
Angels: Left fielder Tyler Ward made a hard slide into the wall trying to run down a foul ball in the seventh but remained in the game. He singled in the ninth and was replaced by a pinch-runner.Up Next
Angels: Davis Daniel (1–1, 2.70 earned-run average) is set to face Jon Gray (3–4, 3.92) on Monday night to start a home series against Texas.Cubs: Neither team had announced a starter for Tuesday’s series opener at Baltimore.
