Jake Arrieta tossed a no-hitter Sunday night, and Arrieta ended a rough six-game road trip on an extremely high note. And the Cubs gained ground in the NL Wild Card race.
With the Pirates and Giants losing Sunday, the Cubs will enter play Monday night 5 ½ games, six in the loss column, ahead of San Francisco for the second NL Wild Card and five back of Pittsburgh to host the NL Wild Card game. The Cubs are 9 ½ games behind the Cardinals in the best division in baseball.
Jake Arrieta made history Sunday night with a dominating no-hitter at Dodger Stadium. Arrieta faced two over the minimum. The only Dodgers that reached base were Jimmy Rollins (walk) and Kike Hernandez (error). Six balls were hit out of the infield on 116 pitches, 80 for strikes. Arrieta set a season-high with 12 strikeouts.
It is a forgone conclusion that Jake Arrieta will be named NL Player of the Week later today. Arrieta should also receive National League Pitcher of the Month for August this week.
Jake Arrieta was 6-0 in six August starts with a 0.43 ERA and 0.69 WHIP. Arrieta allowed four runs, two earned, on 19 hits with 10 walks and 43 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings. For the season, Arrieta is 17-6 in 27 starts with a 2.11 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 2.49 FIP. Arrieta has allowed 49 runs, 43 earned, on 128 hits with 44 walks and 190 strikeouts in 183 innings.
More on Arrieta’s No-No
• Jake Arrieta threw the 14th no-hitter in Cubs’ history, only the second since 1972. The Cubs last five no-hitters are Jake Arrieta (2015), Carlos Zambrano (2008), Milt Pappas (1972), Burt Hooton (1972) and Ken Holtzman (1971).
• Miguel Montero caught his second no-hitter (Edwin Jackson). Montero told Patrick Mooney, “To be honest, every time he goes out, he’s like Felix Hernandez. There’s a good chance he’s going to throw a no-hitter.”
• Sunday was Arrieta’s third complete-game of the season and his 14th straight quality start, tying him with Greg Maddux for the franchise mark he set in 1992.
• Starlin Castro was happy to be charged with the error in the third inning that allowed Kike Hernandez to reach. Jake Arrieta did not realize until later Hernandez was not given a hit.
• Jake Arrieta tweeted Sunday night, “We’ll talk about it tomorrow, but damn, that was fun.”
And for those that missed Pat Hughes’ call, Paul Sullivan transcribed it and included in his write up of Arrieta’s no-hitter.
Neil Ramirez
RHP Neil Ramirez was placed on the disabled list July 29 with left abdominal soreness. Ramirez has dealt with injuries for a majority of the season. Ramirez could be close to being an option for Joe Maddon in September.
The Cubs sent Ramirez to Double-A Tennessee. Ramirez was added to the Smokies roster and started a rehab assignment Sunday. Ramirez gave up a hit, walked a batter and struck out one in an inning of work. Ramirez made 17 pitches, 11 for strikes.
Javier Baez
Javier Baez batted third and played third for the I-Cubs in the final home game of the season Sunday afternoon, a 9-1 win over Sacramento. Baez went 4-for-5 with a RBI, two runs scored and no strikeouts as he prepares for his call-up Tuesday.
Baez extended his hitting streak to 16 games with his 11th multi-hit game during the streak.
Javier Baez is hitting .347/.383/.492 over his last 29 games with five doubles, two triples, three home runs and an .875 OPS. Baez has 29 strikeouts and eight walks in his last 124 at-bats.
Cubs-Pirates Make-Up Game
The Pirates announced Sunday the game between the Cubs and Pirates that was eventually called after two rain delays will be made up on Sept. 15 as part of a day-night doubleheader at PNC Park.
Game one will start at 12:35pm CDT, with the regularly scheduled game set for a 6:05pm CDT first pitch.
Monday, Sept. 14 is a scheduled day off for the Cubs.
The final regular season trip to Pittsburgh will be a four-game series played in three days. And turned a difficult 10-game, three city road trip through St. Louis, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in to an 11-game trip. The Cubs return to Wrigley on Sept. 18 for the final homestand of the season. The Cubs have three against the Cardinals and Brewers before an off day on Sept. 24. The last four games of the regular season at Wrigley is three versus the Pirates and the make-up with the Royals on Sept. 28.
Buster’s Top 10
Buster Olney posted his power rankings for the week, and the Cubs slipped out of the top five before wrapping up a 2-4 West Coast trip.
The top 10 teams in baseball on the final Sunday in August according to Buster Olney: Cardinals, Royals, Pirates, Blue Jays, Astros, Dodgers, Cubs, Mets, Yankees and Rangers.
Cubs PJ, Onesie Trip
Joe Maddon decided a couple of weeks ago his team would wear PJs or onesies on the flight back to Chicago from Los Angeles. And the photos following Jake Arrieta’s not hitter that ended up on Twitter were awesomely hilarious. Click on the links to view the players’ choices … and for the record, Maddon’s was the best.
- Jonathan Herrera, Starlin Castro, Dexter Fowler, Pedro Strop, Hector Rondon and Fernando Rodney
- Joe Maddon
- Jake Arrieta and Miguel Montero
- Team Photo
- Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Kris Bryant
- Anthony Rizzo Selfie
- Matt Szczur, Addison Russell, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber
News and Notes
• Buster Olney reported Sunday, “One Cubs insider says Joe Maddon’s first year as manager of the Cubs has been a combination of Joe Torre and Phil Jackson … taking pressure off the young players in how he handled their struggles and helping them through the long season.”
• According to Jesse Rogers, the Cubs will not skip any starters this time through the rotation even with Thursday’s day off.
• Kris Bryant’s two-run homer Sunday was his first outside of Wrigley Field since June 17 in Cleveland. Bryant hit a Grand Slam off position-player, turned pitcher for an inning David Murphy. Bryant hit the first home run on the road against a pitcher since May 21 in San Diego, Odrisamer Despaigne.
• Starlin Castro collected his 10th, three-hit game of the season Sunday night … the Cubs are 10-0 in those 10 games.
• According to the Sun-Times, the Cubs got a reminder Saturday they have a year or so to fix Jon Lester’s yips.
• From Christopher Kamka: Three of the Cubs’ last four no-hitters have been thrown on a Sunday: Jake Arrieta: Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015; Carlos Zambrano: Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008; Milt Pappas: Saturday, Sept. 2, 1972; Burt Hooton: Sunday, April 16, 1972.
And last, but not least, this year’s National League Central Division might be one of the best divisions in the history of the game (since 1969) according to Jon Paul Morosi.
This Day In Cubstory
2007 – Cubs traded Rocky Cherry and Scott Moore to the Orioles for Steve Trachsel
2006 – Cubs traded Phil Nevin to the Twins for a PTBNL. Twins sent Adam Harben to the Cubs on Sept. 5, 2006 to complete the trade
2004 – Cubs traded a PTBNL and cash to the Brewers for Ben Grieve. The Cubs sent Andy Pratt to the Brewers on Sept. 3, 2004 to complete the trade
1999 – Cubs traded Rod Beck to the Red Sox for Mark Guthrie and a PTBNL. Red Sox sent Cole Liniak to the Cubs on Sept. 1 to complete the trade
1999 – Cubs traded Tyler Houston to the Indians for Richard Negrette
1998 – Sammy Sosa hit home run No. 55 in a 5-4 win over the Reds. The longball was Sosa’s 30th of the year at Wrigley which put him three short of Hack Wilson’s record for a single season at Wrigley and tied him with Ernie Banks.
1997 – Cubs sent Shawon Dunston to the Pirates as a part of a conditional deal (PTBNL)
1984 – Cubs acquired Davey Lopes from Oakland for Chuck Rainey and a PTBNL. The Cubs sent Damon Farmar to the A’s on March 18, 1985 to complete the trade
1973 – Cubs acquired Mike Paul from the Rangers for a PTBNL. Cubs sent Larry Gura to Texas on Nov. 14, 1973 to complete the trade.
1971 – Don Kessinger collected five hits in six at bats, including the game-winning single in the 10th inning as the Cubs beat the Expos 7-6 in game one of a doubleheader at Wrigley. Kessinger had two more hits in the second game, but the Cubs lost game two 11-2.
1963 – In the bottom of the ninth with two outs at Wrigley, Ellis Burton hit a walk-off grand slam off Houston’s Hal Woodeshick and gave the Cubs a 6-5 win.
1932 – With the Cubs trailing 9-7 with two out in the bottom of the 10th at Wrigley, Kiki Cuyler hit a three-run homer that gave the Cubs a 10-9 victory over the Giants and extended the Cubs winning streak to 12 games. Cuyler’s walk-off homer was his fifth hit of the day and his fourth home run in five games.
1915 – Jimmy Lavender pitched a no-hitter as the Cubs beat the Giants 2-0 in the first game of the doubleheader at the Polo Grounds.
1902 – The Chicago National League Ball Club purchased Johnny Evers from Troy in the New York State League