Photo credit: @playtheapp1

By Jeremy Kahn

After opening their three-city, nine-game road trip against the defending World Champion Houston Astros, the San Francisco Giants moved onto the winners of the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs for their next series.

Kyle Hendricks gave up just one run on two hits in seven innings of work, as the Cubs defeated the Giants 6-2 at Wrigley Field.

Hendricks, who improved to 4-3 on the season, struck out seven and walked two, as the Cubs bounced back from a two-game sweep against the Cleveland Indians on a high note.

This was the Giants third straight loss to open the road trip, and have been outscored 21-5 through their first three games with five games remaining.

Gorkys Hernandez picked up two of the four Giants hits on the afternoon, including a leadoff home run in the top of the fourth inning that broke up Hendricks’ perfect game.

Evan Longoria picked up a RBI single in the top of the ninth inning that scored Brandon Belt, who singled, then advanced to second on indifference and then scored the Giants first run since the fourth inning when Longoria singled off of Pedro Strop.

The Cubs broke the game wide open in the bottom of the seventh inning, when they ended Holland’s day. Will Smith gave up a two-run double to Ben Zobrist, and then Cory Gearrin gave up a two-run single to Kris Bryant. Former Oakland A’s prospect Addison Russell hit a RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning for their final run of the afternoon.

Strop retired the first batters of the inning, but then Belt and Longoria picked up back-to-back hits for another run. That was the end of the day for Strop, as Joe Maddon turned the ball over to Brian Duensing, who eventually walked Brandon Crawford.

That was all for Duenisng, as Maddon brought on his closer, Brandon Morrow, who struck out the returning Mac Williamson to end the game and picked up 11thsave in 12 opportunities this season.

Holland allowed three runs (two of them earned) in six innings of work, and allowed five hits before being replaced by Smith. Before being replaced, Holland hit Javier Baez and then walked Ian Happ.

NOTES: Chris Stratton looks to stop the Giants three-game losing streak, as he takes the mound against the Cubs Jose Quintana.

Madison Bumgarner looks to begin his rehab assignment on Saturday for the Sacramento Rivercats, where he will throw approximately 45 pitches. Joe Panik is making progress and could begin a rehab during the Giants road trip that will end on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Cubs meet again for Game 2 Saturday at 4:15 pm PST on FOX.