Major League Baseball

Velasquez injured; Cubs beat Phillies 8-1

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:04 p.m. ET

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) Vince Velasquez threw two pitches and walked off the mound.

His injury is worse than the loss.

John Lackey struck out eight in seven dominant innings, Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist hit homers and the Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-1 on Wednesday.

Lackey (7-2) gave up three hits and extended his scoreless streak to 13 2/3 innings.

Velasquez left the game after getting one out because of right biceps soreness. He hasn't been the same pitcher since a 16-strikeout performance against San Diego on April 14.

''I'm not concerned at all,'' Velasquez said. ''I have been in this situation before.''

Velasquez will be evaluated on Thursday. Lackey was concerned about the young pitcher.

''A lot of times (biceps soreness) is code for elbow,'' said Lackey, who had Tommy John surgery a few years ago. ''You don't want to see that happen to anybody.''

Pitching coach Bob McClure said he noticed something was wrong in the bullpen and quickly realized Velasquez didn't have any velocity.

''It's not worth it,'' McClure said about keeping Velasquez in the game.

Catcher Cameron Rupp looked toward the dugout after the first pitch.

''I didn't want him to throw another pitch,'' Rupp said.

Brett Oberholtzer (2-1) replaced him and allowed one unearned run following his throwing error in four innings.

Bryant hit his 14th homer off Andrew Bailey in the sixth, a two-run shot out to left. Zobrist connected one out later to make it 4-0.

Chicago scored four runs off Colton Murray in the eighth to extend the lead.

''Only good news is we don't see Cubs the rest of the year,'' manager Pete Mackanin said following the team's fifth loss in six games against Chicago.

The Phillies missed an opportunity in the first after consecutive singles by Odubel Herrera and Cesar Hernandez put runners on first and third. Herrera tried to score on Freddy Galvis' shallow fly, but left fielder Albert Almora Jr. threw him out by several feet.

STANDINGS

The major league-leading Cubs are 41-17 while the Phillies fell to 29-31.

STAY OUT THERE

Oberholtzer went at least four innings without allowing an earned run for the first time since he started for Houston on June 1, 2015, against Baltimore. It was his longest relief appearance. The previous Phillies reliever to toss four or more innings without allowing an earned run before was Jeff Manship against the Mets on May 31, 2014.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Phillies: If Velasquez can't make his next start, Zach Eflin will likely come up from Triple-A to replace him. Eflin was scratched from his scheduled start on Wednesday night.

UP NEXT

Phillies: After a day off, RHP Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 3.80) starts the opener of a three-game series at NL East-leading Washington on Friday night.

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