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It was just what Jon Lester needed.

The four-time All-Star won his fifth straight start, Javier Baez backed him with three hits and two runs, and the Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 on Wednesday.

”That’s what we’re capable of doing,” manager Joe Maddon said. ”In the past when we’ve won at a high level, we’ve played outstanding defense. It never gets old. It never gets old to watch that kind of baseball.”

Lester (9-2) gave up five hits over seven innings, though he didn’t have his usual pinpoint command.

Baez had two doubles and a triple for a career-high three extra-base hits. He also stole a base and made some big plays at shortstop and second.

Kyle Schwarber hit his 14th homer. Kris Bryant added two hits and an RBI in his third straight game batting leadoff. And the Cubs handed Ross Stripling his first loss since April 30, taking two of three in a rematch of the past two NL Championship Series.

”We’ll be somewhere (in the playoffs) in October,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ”I can’t speak to the opponent, but we’ll be somewhere.”

Lester walked three and struck out one batter. Anthony Bass worked the final two innings to finish the six-hitter.

”I really didn’t have much today,” Lester said. ”I was kind of grinding through that one.”

But he didn’t need his best stuff with the defense coming through in a big way.

Baez made a strong throw from deep in the hole at shortstop in the second inning to rob Logan Forsythe of a hit and had fans chanting his name in the eighth after a neat double play as the second baseman. He caught Justin Turner’s line drive and lunged to the bag to double off a diving Enrique Hernandez.

Right fielder Jason Heyward threw out Chris Taylor trying to score on Turner’s fly in the third.

Center fielder Albert Almora raced in for a diving grab on Yasiel Puig’s liner in the seventh. And the Cubs caught several balls on the warning track while winning for the 17th time in 25 games.

”Al comes in, dives for one and I’m just like, `OK, I’m done clapping for you guys Dominique Easley Jersey ,” Lester said. ”It’s expected now that these guys can make these plays.”

Stripling (6-2) had won six straight starts. The right-hander went six innings, allowing three runs and eight hits while striking out seven without a walk. But the Dodgers dropped back-to-back games for the first time since they lost a season-high six in a row May 10-16.

STINGY STARTS

Cubs starters have allowed one run or less in seven straight home games, matching Chicago’s longest streak since May 11-June 7, 1919, according to STATS.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: SS Taylor exited with a tight left hamstring in the sixth. He said it started bothering him running the bases in the third, and he expects to be available Friday, when the Dodgers open a three-game series at the New York Mets. … INF Chase Utley (sprained left thumb) was ready to return from the disabled list. But the Dodgers decided to wait until Friday to activate him. ”Kind of where we’re at with the pitching,” Roberts said. ”He’s healthy and ready to go with us, but having some option-able players on the roster makes a lot of sense for us. Playing a doubleheader, three games in 24 hours, we’ve got to kind of see how things play out and give ourselves some options.”

Cubs: The Cubs placed closer Brandon Morrow (lower back tightness) on the 10-day disabled list. … RHP Yu Darvish (right triceps tendinitis) threw a simulated game. Maddon said he looked ”outstanding,” and the Cubs will see how he feels Thursday before announcing the next step as he works his way back. … Maddon also said the Cubs are ”very close” to mapping out a plan for Carl Edwards Jr. (right shoulder inflammation) to return from the DL.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: LHP Alex Wood (2-5, 4.22 ERA) tries to win his second straight start as the Dodgers open a three-game series against the Mets on Friday. RHP Zack Wheeler (2-5 Andy Janovich Jersey , 4.82) pitches for New York.

Cubs: The Cubs open a four-game series at Cincinnati on Thursday, with RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-6, 3.55) going against RHP Matt Harvey (1-5, 5.92)

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MILWAUKEE — Lorenzo Cain will be back in the lineup Tuesday when the Milwaukee Brewers open a two-game interleague set with Cain’s former team, the Kansas City Royals, at Miller Park.

Cain sat out Sunday when the Brewers wrapped up a four-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals. It was a scheduled day off for the veteran center fielder, who ha played every game since May 23 but also a chance for him to rest a nagging groin injury and get two full days off his feet before facing his former team.

The 32-year-old has been everything the Milwaukee Brewers had hoped for when they signed him to a franchise-record $80 million contract during the winter.

Cain is among the team leaders in almost every offensive category this season: hits (71), walks (43), on-base percentage (.394). He is second in doubles (15), batting average (.291) and .OPS (.832).

He also has been something of a workhorse, appearing in 72 games — just one fewer than team leader Travis Shaw — while making 70 starts. He leads the team with 312 plate appearances and 265 at-bats.

“Winning games is the most important part,” Cain said. “It’s still early in the season and we have a long way to go, but winning consistently Chris Harris Jr Jersey , winning series, that’s our main goal.”

Shaw should also be back in the lineup. He left Sunday’s game when he tweaked an already-sore right wrist during a third-inning at-bat. He missed two games with the same injury earlier in the week against Pittsburgh but started all four games against St. Louis.

“This is something I’ve been dealing with for a while now and a couple of swings here and there will get it every now and then,” Shaw said. “It’ll be nice to have almost two full days off with the rest of tonight, all of tomorrow and a night game (Tuesday). We’ll see where we’re at then.”

Having those two back and healthy, as well as red-hot slugger Jesus Aguilar, who got a break Sunday, will be a relief for rookie right-hander Freddy Peralta.

After making his first three big league starts on the road, Peralta will get a chance to show his talent to the hometown fans for the first time when he takes the mound for the series opener.

“I’m very excited,” Peralta said. “It’s like a dream, pitching in Miller Park.”

His MLB career got off to a memorable start. He struck out 13 in 5 1/3 scoreless innings with his family on hand to watch at Coors Field.

He’s 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA as a big leaguer with the Brewers, winning all three of his starts. Peralta has also struck out 84 batters in 59 innings for Triple-A Colorado Springs this season, going 6-1 with a 2.75 ERA there.

“I know that (major league hitters) are smart, but I just have to pitch the same and believe in myself Greg Olsen Jersey , trust my ability in making pitches,” Peralta said. “I know they’re better hitters than in the minor leagues, and I just have to make the adjustments, but it’s all the same for me.”

He’ll go up against right-hander Jakub Junis, who has lost his last five starts and hasn’t won since May 18.

Junis has a 6.75 ERA during his losing streak with 24 strikeouts in 24 innings.

“It’s been tough, not only personally, but as a team,” Junis told the Kansas City Star. “We’re grinding through it.

“It’s definitely been a struggle for me. I’ve given up a lot of home runs this year, so I’m very conscious of that. I’m trying to keep it in the ballpark, because when I do, that’s when I have success.”

Kansas City has faced Milwaukee twice this season. They dropped both games of an interleague series in April at Kaufmann Stadium.