MLB - LA Dodgers @ CHI Cubs

Jose Hernandez homered and drove in five runs to propel the Los Angeles Dodgers (67-45) to an 11-1 rout of the host Cincinnati Reds in the National League on Thursday, extending their lead over San Diego in the National League West Division to 7 1/2 games. The Padres lost to the Cubs at Wrigley Field, and third-place San Francisco fell to 8 1/2 games back with an extra-inning loss at Pittsburgh. The Dodgers moved 22 games over .500 for the first time since they were 92-70 at the end of the 2002 season with their seventh win in their last nine games. They have won five of their last six road series.

In Chicago, Carlos Zambrano returned from suspension to pitch eight solid innings and lead the Cubs to a 5-1 victory over the San Diego Padres. Zambrano (11-6) was banned five games for hitting Jim Edmonds of St Louis with a pitch last month but came back strong, allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts and one walk. Corey Patterson homered off Sterling Hitchcock for the Cubs, his fourth home run off a left-hander this year, and is now batting .333 since moving to the leadoff spot on August 1st. The win helped the Cubs regain a two-game lead over the Padres in the National League Wild Card standings.