Game Seventy-Five: Cubs 7, Reds 3
WP – Jake Arrieta (4-1) LP – Homer Bailey (7-4) Save – None
After rain delayed the start of the game for 53 minutes, Jake Arrieta retired the first 18 batters he faced Tuesday night and took a perfect game into the seventh inning. Billy Hamilton led off the seventh with a single to center and ended Arrieta’s chance at history. Arrieta completed seven innings and cooled off the high-flying Reds offense as the Cubs beat the Reds at Wrigley Field.
Jake Arrieta was on top of his game once again. Arrieta struck out eight batters in six innings and needed only 77 pitches, 53 for strikes, to complete six innings. After laboring through a 20-pitch first inning, Arrieta was about as good as it gets for the next five innings. Arrieta gave up two runs on three hits in the seventh after he ran the bases in the sixth. Arrieta turned the game over to the bullpen in the eighth inning.
Jake Arrieta picked up the win after allowing two runs on three hits with no walks and nine strikeouts. Arrieta threw 94 pitches, 65 for strikes, over seven innings.
Rick Renteria used four relievers (Wesley Wright, Justin Grimm, James Russell, Brian Schlitter) to record three outs in the eighth. And Neil Ramirez struck out two of the four batters he faced in the ninth to end the game. Devin Mesoraco hit a solo home run off Ramirez in the ninth for the Reds’ third run. Mesoraco has hit a home run in each of his last five games.
Anthony Rizzo (3-for-4 with a home run, a double and two runs scored) had a big night at the plate. Rizzo put the Cubs on the board with the first hit of the game, for either team, with two outs in the fourth. Rizzo hit a solo home run off Homer Bailey, his 17th longball of the season, and gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Rizzo scored in the eighth after he recorded his third hit of the night, a double to right. Anthony Rizzo has driven in the winning run in each of the Cubs last five victories at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs second run scored in the fifth after Nate Schierholtz (1-for-3 with two RBI, sacrifice fly and a run scored) singled and scored on a double by Welington Castillo (1-for-3 with a double, a sacrifice fly and two RBI).
Jake Arrieta (0-for-1 with a walk and a run scored) led off the sixth with a walk and scored the Cubs’ third run after Starlin Castro (0-for-2 with a RBI, a walk, a HBP and a run scored) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Jake Arrieta admitted after the game that he was gassed when he took the mound for the seventh inning after running the bases in the bottom of the sixth. Nate Schierholtz hit a sac fly into left center that plated Junior Lake (1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored) with the Cubs’ fourth run.
The Cubs plated three more runs in the eighth on an error by Joey Votto and a sacrifice fly by Welington Castillo.
The Cubs scored seven runs on six hits with three walks and a hit batsman Tuesday night and beat the Reds for the third time in 21 games at Wrigley Field (3-18).
Starlin Castro was credited with his 44th RBI of the season when he was hit by a pitch and forced in Jake Arrieta in the sixth inning. Castro drove in 44 runs in 161 games last season. Junior Lake’s walk in the sixth was his first free pass since May 30.
The Cubs beat the Reds in a game started by Homer Bailey for the first time since May 7, 2010 … Starlin Castro’s big league debut. Homer Bailey was 7-0 in his last ten starts against the Cubs with three no decisions.
With Tuesday’s win, the Cubs improved to 32-43 on the season.
Anthony Rizzo collected the first hit of the game with two outs in the fourth when he pulled Homer Bailey’s first pitch into the basket in right center. Rizzo’s 17th longball of the season gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Starlin Castro flied out to deep right center to end the inning.
After four complete, the Cubs had the only run and hit in the game.
Jake Arrieta retired the Reds in order in the fifth … 15 up and 15 down on 64 pitches, 44 for strikes, for Arrieta.
Nate Schierholtz led off the fifth with the Cubs’ second hit of the game, a bloop single to right on a 3-2 pitch. Welington Castillo followed and drove a 0-1 pitch past a diving Joey Votto and into right field. Jay Bruce misplayed the ball enough for Schierholtz to be waved around. Schierholtz scored, 2-0 Cubs, but Castillo was out by a mile trying to advance to third on the throw to the plate. Mike Olt grounded out to short and Darwin Barney flied out to right to end the inning.
The Cubs had a 2-0 lead after five innings.
Jake Arrieta set the Reds down in order in the sixth … 18 up and 18 down with eight strikeouts for Arrieta after six innings on 77 pitches, 53 for strikes.
Jake Arrieta led off the sixth and Homer Bailey walked him. After Coghlan struck out swinging, Junior Lake walked … Lake’s first free pass since May 30. With runners on first and second with one out, Anthony Rizzo singled to right. Gary Jones held Arrieta at third with one down, and he had dove back into the bag after Jones stopped him around third. Homer Bailey plunked Starlin Castro with a 0-2 pitch. Arrieta trotted in with the Cubs’ third run and Bryan Price went to his pen for J. J. Hoover. Nate Schierholtz drove a 1-2 pitch into the gap in left center. Billy Hamilton covered a lot of ground and caught a ball that looked like a double off the bat. Lake tagged and scored, 4-0 Cubs. With runners on second and third with two down, Welington Castillo flied out to right to end the inning.
At the end of six innings, the Cubs had a 4-0 lead.
Jake Arrieta took the hill for the top of the seventh with a perfect game in tact after a 23-minute bottom of the sixth … and he ran the bases. Billy Hamilton led off the inning and broke up Arrieta’s perfect game with a single to center. The crowd at Wrigley gave Arrieta a standing ovation and Arrieta went back to work. Frazier flied out to left and Votto grounded out to first. Hamilton advanced to second and scored when Devin Mesoraco blooped a single into left center … 4-1 Cubs. Jay Bruce pulled a 1-1 pitch into right center. The ball stayed in the park, Bruce ended up with a double and Mesoraco scored to make it a 4-2 game. Arrieta struck out Ryan Ludwick swinging to end the inning.
The Cubs did nothing against Jumbo Diaz in the seventh.
After seven complete, the Cubs led 4-2.
Rick Renteria used Wesley Wright, Justin Grimm, James Russell and Brian Schlitter to record three outs in the eighth. But it worked. The four Cubs relievers put a zero on the board in the eighth after Billy Hamilton popped out to Schierholtz in shallow right with two on for the second out … and Mike Olt made an excellent diving stop in the hole on a ball hit by Todd Frazier, got to his feet and threw out Frazier at first to end the inning.
The Cubs blew the game open in the bottom of the eighth with help from Joey Votto. Junior Lake reached on a one-out single to right off Sam LeCure. Anthony Rizzo followed with a double off the ivy in right. Lake held at third with one out. Starlin Castro was intentionally walked to load the bases with one down. Nate Schierholtz pulled a 3-1 pitch toward first. Votto did not field the routine grounder. The ball went under his legs and into right field. Votto appeared to come up on the ball too soon to make a throw to the plate. Lake and Rizzo scored, 6-2 Cubs. With runners on the corners and one out, Welington Castillo lifted a 1-0 pitch into center. Hamilton caught the ball, Castro tagged and the Cubs took a 7-2 lead. Mike Olt struck out swinging to end the inning.
Neil Ramirez took the hill in the ninth with the Cubs up 7-2. Devin Mesoraco made it 7-3 with a solo homer to left with one out. Mesoraco’s fifth home run in five games. Ramirez caught Jay Bruce looking for the second out and struck out Ryan Ludwick swinging to end the game.
The Cubs and Reds wrap up the three game series under the lights Wednesday night (6:05pm CDT). Edwin Jackson is scheduled to face Mat Latos in the finale.