Game Fifty-Seven – Cubs 12, Tigers 3
WP – Jake Arrieta (6-4) LP – Shane Greene (4-6) Save – None
The Cubs hit two three-run home runs, one each by Chris Coghlan and Miguel Montero, and scored a season-high 12 runs and Jake Arrieta held the Tigers to a three-run homer by Yoenis Cespedes as the Cubs ended the road trip with an impressive 12-3 win in Detroit.
Six different Cubs drove in runs Wednesday, all nine players in Joe Maddon’s starting lineup reached base with only Kris Bryant (0-for-3 with a walk, a HBP and a run scored) not recording a hit.
Addison Russell (1-for-4 with a walk, a RBI and a run scored) drove Chris Coghlan (2-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored) with the game’s first run in the second inning. Russell’s run scoring single to center was the first of three two-out hits that produced runs for the Cubs.
Chris Coghlan gave Jake Arrieta breathing room with a three-run homer in the third. And the Cubs fourth run in the third inning scored on a Chris Denorfia (2-for-4 with a RBI) bloop single to right center that plated Mike Baxter (2-for-3 with a double, two walks and three runs scored) with two outs.
The Cubs added a run in the fifth after Mike Baxter walked with two outs and scored from first base on a single by Chris Denorfia and an error by Tigers’ centerfielder Anthony Gose.
After the Tigers cut the Cubs’ lead to 6-3 in the sixth, the Cubs put the game away with a six-run seventh inning. A bases loaded walk by Dexter Fowler (2-for-5 with a triple, a walk, a RBI and a run scored) forced in Starlin Castro (1-for-5 with a run scored) and Anthony Rizzo (2-for-6 with two RBI and a run scored) drove in two more runs with a single to right center.
Miguel Montero (3-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored) capped the six-run seventh inning with a three-run homer.
Jake Arrieta gave the Cubs exactly what Joe Maddon needed, a quality start against a good team in their park. Arrieta did not allow a hit until the fourth inning and faced the minimum through four thanks to his defense turning two double plays. Arrieta pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth but could not get past Yoenis Cespedes in the sixth after striking out Miguel Cabrera with two on. Cespedes launched a three-run homer off Arrieta, the only mistake by the Cubs’ right hander on the night.
Jake Arrieta left the game after six innings. Arrieta allowed three runs on eight hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. Arrieta threw 93 pitches, 54 for strikes.
Justin Grimm, Zac Rosscup and Travis Wood each pitched a scoreless inning in relief of Arrieta.
The defense not only played a clean game, but the infield turned three double plays.
The Cubs ended the nine-game, three-city road trip with a 5-4 record after posting the organization’s first win in Detroit since July 7, 2001.
With Wednesday’s win, the Cubs improved to 31-26 on the season.
Chris Coghlan led off the second with a single to left central. Joe Maddon called for a hit and run. Starlin Castro rolled over a breaking ball to short. Iglesias threw out Castro at first as Coghlan advanced to second on the play. Mike Baxter walked.
Chris Denorfia appeared to strike out swinging to end the inning. But Denorfia argued his case that he tipped the 0-2 pitch from Shane Greene. Maddon came out of the dugout and after an ump conference, it was ruled that Denorfia tipped the ball.
Chris Denorfia pulled a 0-2 pitch to the hole at short. Baxter was forced at second but Denorfia reached as Coghlan moved up to third.
Addison Russell singled to center (1-2 pitch), Coghlan scored and the Cubs took a 1-0 lead. Dexter Fowler struck out swinging (3-2 pitch) to end the inning.
The Cubs defense turned its first double play of the night in the second inning. Jake Arrieta faced the minimum through two innings and made 22 pitches, 14 for strikes.
After two innings, the Cubs led 1-0.
Anthony Rizzo struck out swinging (2-2 pitch) to start the third. Greene hit Kris Bryant in the back with a 0-1 pitch. Maddon called for a hit and run, his second in as many innings. Miguel Montero singled to right. Bryant went to third with one out.
Chris Coghlan stepped in sitting fastball and he got one. Coghlan launched Greene’s first pitch to deep right and well into the stands beyond the wall, one of the longest homers Coghlan has hit in a Cubs’ jersey. And his three-run shot gave the Cubs a 4-0 lead. Castro popped out to second for the second out.
Mike Baxter drove a 2-0 pitch to the opposite alley. The ball hit off the base of the wall in left central and Baxter stopped at second with a double. Chris Denorfia blooped a 2-0 pitch into right center. Baxter scored, 5-0 Cubs, but Denorfia was thrown out trying to get back to first base to end the inning.
Jake Arrieta sat down the Tigers in order in the third. Arrieta faced the minimum the first time through the lineup on 36 pitches, 23 for strikes.
The Cubs had a 5-0 lead after three innings.
Brad Ausmus went to his bullpen for the fourth. Kyle Ryan struck out Russell and Fowler fouled out to right for the first two outs. Anthony Rizzo singled to left. Kris Bryant reached on a fielding error by Nick Castellanos on a hard hit ball that zoomed past him and into left. With runners on first and second with two down, Montero flied out to center to end the inning.
Jake Arrieta gave up a single to Ian Kinsler in the fourth, the Tigers first hit of the night. But he was erased on a 5-4-3 double play off the bat of Cabrera to end the inning. Arrieta faced the minimum through four innings on 46 pitches, 29 for strikes.
The Cubs tacked on in the fifth with help from the Tigers defense. Mike Baxter singled to center with two down. Chris Denorfia worked a full count. With Baxter running, Denorfia hit a sinking liner into center. Anthony Gose misplayed the ball. It skipped past him and Baxter scored all the way from first base … 6-0 Cubs. With Denorfia at second, Russell grounded out to third to end the inning.
Jake Arrieta pitched out of a bases loaded, one out jam in the fifth. J.D. Martinez singled to left center with one out, just the second hit off Arrieta. Tyler Collins singled to center and Nick Castellanos singled to center to load the bases. Arrieta retired McCann on a pop out to right and caught Jose Iglesias looking at a 2-2 pitch to end the inning.
The Cubs put two more runners on in the sixth. Bryant walked with two outs and Montero singled to center. But Chris Coghlan flied out to the warning track in left for the second time in the game to end the inning.
Jake Arrieta took the hill in the sixth with a 6-0 lead.
Anthony Gose reached on a swinging bunt to the third base side of the mound. Arrieta tried to make a barehanded play but could not and kicked the ball toward third. Ian Kinsler smoked Arrieta’s first pitch toward the hole at short. Kris Bryant dove to his left, the ball hit off the heel of his glove. And the Tigers had two on with no outs for Miguel Cabrera.
Jake Arrieta struck out Cabrera swinging (2-2 pitch) for the first out. But Yoenis Cespedes launched a 1-1 pitch to deep left and cut the Cubs lead in half, 6-3. Martinez grounded out to second. Tyler Collins followed with a triple to right center. Arrieta stuck out Nick Castellanos swinging (2-2 pitch) to end the inning.
The Cubs led 6-3 after six innings.
Starlin Castro led off the seventh with a single to right off Angel Nesbitt. Mike Baxter worked a walk. Joe Maddon had Denorfia bunt and he popped a bunt into foul ground that James McCann ran down with a diving catch near the Tigers dugout. Addison Russell walked to load the bases with one down.
Brad Ausmus went to his pen for lefty Tom Gorzelanny.
Dexter Fowler walked on four pitches, Castro trotted in and made it 7-3 Cubs.
Anthony Rizzo pulled Gorzelanny’s first pitch into right. Baxter and Russell scored, 9-3 Cubs. Ausmus made another slow walk to the mound and brought in another former Cubs’ pitcher, Al Alburquerque.
With runners on first and third with one down, Bryant struck out swinging.
Miguel Montero put the game out of reach. Montero pulled a 2-2 pitch to deep right. The ball ended up in the stands and the Cubs took a 12-3 lead. Chris Coghlan flied out to center to end the inning.
Justin Grimm faced the minimum in the seventh after the defense turned its third double play of the game … and after seven, the Cubs had a commanding 12-3 lead.
And that was the final score. The Cubs did not add on in the eighth or ninth innings while Zac Rosscup and Travis Wood put zeros on the board.
The Cubs open a six-game homestand Thursday with the first of four against the Reds. Tsuyoshi Wada is scheduled to take on Michael Lorenzen under the lights (7:05pm CDT).