Game Thirty-Two – Cubs 6, Mets 1
WP – Jake Arrieta (4-3) LP – Noah Syndergaard (0-1) Save – None
Jake Arrieta allowed one run while striking out a season-high 10 batters in eight innings. Starlin Castro doubled in Jorge Soler with the first of the game as part of a four-run sixth inning. Chris Coghlan hit a two-run homer in the sixth. Addison Russell doubled in a run in the seventh and Kris Bryant homered in the eighth as the Cubs beat the Mets for the second game in a row on Tuesday night at the old ballyard.
Jake Arrieta turned in his best start of the season. Arrieta had command issues in the first inning but a 4-6-3 double play seemed to settle him down. Arrieta did not give up his first hit until the fourth inning and because of a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning and a baserunning mistake by the Mets, he faced the minimum through seven innings.
Arrieta gave up a run on a couple of hits in the eighth but by that time the Cubs had the game well in hand. Arrieta outlasted Noah Syndergaard in what was a pitcher’s duel for the first five innings of Tuesday’s game.
Jake Arrieta allowed one run on three hits with two walks and a season-high 10 strikeouts. Arrieta completed a season-high eight innings and threw the most pitches of anyone on the Cubs’ staff this season. Arrieta made 116 pitches, 64 for strikes.
James Russell gave up two singles in the ninth, but struck out the last two batters he faced. Arrieta and Russell allowed one run on five hits with two walks and 12 strikeouts.
The Cubs finally got to Noah Syndergaard in the sixth inning. An infield single by Kris Bryant in the third inning likely had an effect on Syndergaard late in his outing. Bryant beat out a routine grounder to third base in the third that would have ended the inning. Daniel Murphy took his time while Bryant busted it down the line. Syndergaard walked the bases loaded after Bryant’s single. Jorge Soler struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning, but Bryant’s hustle rattled Syndergaard and he threw an additional 18 pitches to record the third out.
Jorge Soler (2-for-5 with a run scored) scored the first run of the game after leading off the sixth with a single to center. Starlin Castro (2-for-5 with two doubles, a RBI and two runs scored) doubled in Soler and scored on a Chris Coghlan (1-for-2 with a home run, a walk and two RBI) two-run homer. Miguel Montero (1-for-4 with a RBI) drove in the Cubs’ fourth run of the sixth inning with an infield single … the first of two, two-out RBI on the night for the Chicago Cubs.
Addison Russell (1-for-4 with a double and a RBI) doubled in Starlin Castro in the seventh with a two-strike, two-out opposite field extra basehit.
Kris Bryant (3-for-4 with a home run, a triple and a walk) hit his third home run of the season in the eighth to the top of the bleachers in left field. Bryant’s towering homer capped the scoring for the Cubs. Bryant ended up a double short of a cycle.
Seven of the Cubs’ 11 hits on the night went for extra bases. The Cubs walked seven times, three by Anthony Rizzo, with nine strikeouts. What will be lost in Bryant’s hustle and homer and Arrieta’s dominating performance is that both Jorge Soler and Starlin Castro combined for four of the Cubs hits, and the eventual game winner.
With Tuesday’s victory, the Cubs improved to 17-15 on the season.
Jorge Soler led off the sixth inning of a scoreless game with a single to center. Starlin Castro worked a 2-2 count before pulling Noah Syndergaard’s next pitch into the left field corner. Gary Jones waived Soler in and he scored all the way from first base, 1-0 Cubs.
Chris Coghlan followed Castro’s double with a home run into the bleacher construction in right field. Coghlan’s shot gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead. After Jake Arrieta struck out, Terry Collins made the slow walk and replaced Noah Syndergaard with lefty Alex Torres.
Addison Russell struck out swinging for the second out.
Dexter Fowler, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo walked and loaded the bases with two outs.
Miguel Montero pulled a 1-2 pitch to the hole at second. Lucas Duda went to his right and fielded the ball, but dropped it in the exchange. Fowler scored, Montero reached without a throw and the Cubs took a 4-0 lead. Jorge Soler struck out swinging (3-2 pitch) to end the inning.
The Cubs forced Syndergaard and Torres to throw 53 pitches in the sixth inning. And after six complete, the Cubs had a 4-0 lead.
Jake Arrieta retired the Mets in order in the seventh. Arrieta faced the minimum through seven innings on 97 pitches, 54 for strikes.
Sean Gilmartin started the seventh for the Mets and Starlin Castro greeted him with a double to left center. Matt Szczur batted for Coghlan and grounded out to short. After Jake Arrieta struck out swinging, Addison Russell gave the Cubs a 5-0 lead with a double to right on a 2-2 pitch. Castro scored, but Russell was stranded when Fowler tapped back to the mound to end the inning.
The Cubs led 5-0 after seven innings.
Jake Arrieta stayed in for the eighth. Lucas Duda singled to left to start the inning. Just the Mets’ second hit of the game. Wilmer Flores singled to right and put runners on the corners with no outs. Arrieta struck out Kirk Nieuwenhuis looking on a 0-2 pitch.
Kevin Plawecki lifted a 0-1 pitch to right. Soler caught the ball, Duda tagged and scored … 5-1 Cubs. Arrieta caught Johnny Monell looking at a 2-2 curveball to end the inning, and his night.
Hansel Robles made his way to the mound for the eighth inning with the Mets down by four runs.
Kris Bryant pulled a 1-2 pitch to deep left, the ball ended up in the back of the bleachers. Bryant’s third home run in four games gave the Cubs a 6-1 lead.
Anthony Rizzo followed with a double to right for the Cubs’ seventh extra basehit of the night. Montero flied out to left, Soler popped out to third and Castro grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Cubs led 6-1 after eight innings.
James Russell gave up two singles in the ninth but no runs before striking out Michael Cuddyer and Lucas Duda to end the game.
Jason Hammel and Matt Harvey square off under the lights on Wednesday night (7:05pm CDT) in the third of a four-game series with the Mets.