Game Fifty: Cubs 0, Giants 4
WP – Tim Hudson (5-2) LP – Jake Arrieta (1-1) Save – None
The Cubs could not string together any hits on Tuesday night against Tim Hudson and were shutout for the sixth time this season. The Cubs offense managed six hits, one for extra bases, and put two runners on base at the same time once in nine innings while everything seemed to fall in for the Giants.
Jake Arrieta pitched better than his final line indicates. Arrieta settled down after giving up two runs in the first inning and kept the Giants off the board in four of the six innings he pitched. The Giants made very little solid contact against Arrieta. Of the seven hits Arrieta gave up, only one went for extra bases. The Giants scored two of their four runs off Arrieta on a pair of sacrifice flies by Buster Posey.
Jake Arrieta was charged with four runs on seven hits, a wild pitch and a walk with six strikeouts. Arrieta threw 94 pitches, 59 for strikes, in six innings.
Blake Parker tossed a scoreless seventh and Jose Veras gave up a double to Tyler Colvin with two down in the eighth, but that was all.
Jake Arrieta (1-for-2) recorded the Cubs first hit in the third inning. And the team scattered six hits on the night. Mike Olt (1-for-3 with a double) managed the only extra base knock. Starlin Castro (1-for-4), Anthony Rizzo (1-for-4), Welington Castillo (1-for-4) and Justin Ruggiano (1-for-4) collected singles.
With Tuesday’s loss, the Cubs dropped to 19-31 on the season.
After Tim Hudson made quick work of the Cubs to start the game (1-2-3 on 13 pitches, nine strikes), Angel Pagan led off the bottom of the first with a single to center (2-1 pitch) through Arrieta’s legs. Hunter Pence worked a full count, Bruce Bochy started Pagan from first and Pence rolled Arrieta’s pitch through the hole vacated by Valbuena going to cover second. Pagan advanced to third and runners were on the corners with no outs. Pence stole second on a 0-1 pitch to Posey. With runners on second and third with no outs, Buster Posey drove a 1-1 pitch to right. Pagan tagged and scored, 1-0 Giants, as Pence advanced to third. With the infield in, Pablo Sandoval grounded out to short. Michael Morse bounced a 0-1 pitch back up the middle off of Arrieta’s glove into center. Pence scored, 2-0 Giants. A wild pitch with Colvin at the dish allowed Morse to move up ninety feet. Arrieta retired Tyler Colvin on a grounder to Rizzo for the third out. Arrieta threw 22 pitches, 14 for strikes, in the opening inning.
The Giants led 2-0 after one inning.
After Tim Hudson pitched around a one-out double by Mike Olt in the top of the fifth, Ehire Adrianza led off the fifth with an infield single to short, Tim Hudson struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch but Adrianza slid around Starlin Castro’s tag and stole second. Angel Pagan hit a chopper toward second and beat Valbuena’s throw to first. Pence stepped in with runners on the corners and one out. Pagan stole second on a 2-2 pitch to Pence before Arrieta walked Pence to load the bases. Buster Posey lifted a 1-0 pitch to left. Justin Ruggiano caught the ball, Adrianza tagged and scored from third, 3-0 Giants. With runners on first and second with two down, Pablo Sandoval blooped a 0-2 pitch into left center. The ball fell in between Ruggiano, Bonifacio and Castro. Pagan scored, 4-0 Giants. Arrieta struck out Morse with runners on the corners to end the inning.
Tim Hudson and the Giants were in total control and led a frustrated Cubs team 4-0 after five innings.
The Cubs managed two singles off Hudson and the Giants pen over the last four innings while Arrieta, Blake Parker and Jose Veras kept San Francisco off the board in their last three at bats.
Edwin Jackson takes on Tim Lincecum in the finale of the three-game series in San Francisco on Wednesday afternoon (2:45pm CDT).