Jon Lester's winless streak stretched to seven starts when he lasted four innings in his shortest outing in more than three years, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 4-0 Thursday for a four-game split.
Signed to a $155 million, six-year contract, Lester (4-6) allowed four runs, four hits and four walks, while striking out five. He is 0-4 with a 4.43 ERA since beating Pittsburgh on May 16.
Lester had not gotten that few outs in a start since lasting two-plus innings for Boston in an 18-3 loss to Texas on April 17, 2012.
His frustration showed in the second inning when he walked A.J. Ellis and appeared to gesture at plate umpire Andy Fletcher, who was blocked from getting closer to the pitcher by catcher David Ross. Chicago manager Joe Maddon then came out to argue with Fletcher but was not ejected.
Carlos Frias combined with four relievers on an eight-hitter. Jimmy Rollins had two hits, an RBI and run scored for the NL West-leading Dodgers, who won the final two games of the series.
Howie Kendrick hit a two-run double in the first, and Enrique Hernandez tripled in a run in the second.
Frias (5-5) allowed seven hits in five innings, struck out five and walked three. He had been 0-3 with a 5.25 ERA in 24 innings since winning at St. Louis on May 30. Joel Peralta, J.P. Howell, Yimi Garcia and Kenley Jansen pitched an inning each.
Chicago Baseball
Left fielder Alex Guerrero threw out Chris Coghlan at home plate in the fourth inning when Coghlan tried to score from second on Miguel Montero's two-out single.
Chicago did not start Starlin Castro and played the last seven innings without Kris Bryant. The rookie struck out in the first, then left after the second inning with what the team called flulike symptoms.
Castro was a late scratch from the starting lineup because he was anticipating the birth of his second child. He entered in the sixth as part of a double switch.
Anthony Rizzo had three hits for Chicago.
