Anthony Rizzo hits 2 HRs, Kyle Hendricks gets first win

Anthony Rizzo took over the National League home run lead, hitting his 24th and 25th, and rookie Arismendy Alcantara clubbed his second homer to help rookie Kyle Hendricks pick up his first Major League win and lead the Chicago Cubs to a 6-0 victory over the Padres on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field.

In Hendricks’ second big league start and first at Wrigley Field, he held the Padres to five hits over seven scoreless innings, striking out five to snap the Cubs’ five game losing streak. It was only the Cubs’ third win in their last 14 games.

Justin Ruggiano‘s sacrifice fly gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the first and Rizzo made it 2-0 with a leadoff home run in the third.

Starlin Castro doubled with two outs in the fifth and scored on Ruggiano’s bloop single to center for a 3-0 lead.

Rookie utility player Arismendy Alcantara, who was promoted on July 9, hit a home run over the right-field bleachers onto Sheffield Avenue and Rizzo followed with his second home run to the left-center basket.

Ruggiano singled later in the inning and scored on Welington Castillo‘s double, but came up laboring. He was replaced by Nate Schierholtz in the eighth and no word on an injury was announced. Ruggiano finished the night 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Castillo went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Rizzo now has five home runs and as many RBIs in just four games against NL West clubs since the All-Star break.

Tsuyoshi Wada (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start Wednesday night and will be opposed by Ian Kennedy (7-9, 3.62 ERA) at 7:05 P.M. CT, on both CSN.