Diamondbacks' Joc Pederson: Homers in two straight

Pederson entered Wednesday's game as a pinch hitter and went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in 5-3 loss to the Cubs.

Pederson's ninth-inning blast closed the gap but was not enough for a Diamondbacks team that squandered opportunities with runners on base and made three errors. It was the second consecutive game with a home run for Pederson, who has hit safely in four of the last five contests. That stretch includes three of his four extra-base hits for the season. Pederson is slashing .333/.467/.576 over 46 plate appearances.