Game Six – Cubs 7, Diamondbacks 3
WP – Jake Arrieta (2-0) LP – Shelby Miller (0-1) Save – None
Jake Arrieta allowed three runs in seven innings and launched a two-run homer. Jorge Soler’s first home run of the season broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning. The Cubs scored seven times on 12 hits, beat the Diamondbacks on Sunday afternoon and won the weekend series at Chase Field.
Jake Arrieta was lights out over the first three innings and his two-run homer in the second gave the Cubs an early lead. Arrieta struggled with his command in the fourth and fifth innings. The Diamondbacks tied the game at three before the Cubs offense took over and picked up Arrieta.
Jorge Soler (1-for-3 with a home run, SF and two RBI) broke the 3-3 tie with a solo home run in the sixth. The Cubs scored two more times in the seventh on a sac fly from Soler and a single by Tommy La Stella (3-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI). And the Cubs added a run in the eighth on an opposite field single from Jason Heyward (1-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and a RBI) that plated Addison Russell (1-for-5 with a run scored).
The only word that can be used to describe the Cubs offense is relentless. Every starter reached base at least one time, seven of the nine scored runs and five of the nine drove in runs on Sunday afternoon. The Cubs scored in six of the nine innings.
Miguel Montero (2-for-3 with two doubles, two walks, a run scored and a RBI) just missed two home runs, settled for two doubles against his old team. And Kris Bryant went 1-for-5 at the plate with a run scored. Bryant played three different positions Sunday. Bryant started in right field, moved to left and finished the game at third base.
Jake Arrieta saw his scoreless innings streak come to an end Sunday. Arrieta had not allowed a run in a regular season game for 32 innings until Paul Goldschmidt took him deep in the fourth inning. Socrates Brito also homered off Arrieta on Sunday, the first time Arrieta served up multiple home runs in the same game since last May 29 against the Royals. Sunday was the first time Arrieta allowed two earned runs in a single start since August 15.
Jake Arrieta recorded his 22nd consecutive quality start after allowing three runs on eight hits in seven innings. Arrieta struck out six and did not walk a batter on 99 pitches, 70 for strikes.
Justin Grimm was nasty in the eighth. Grimm set down the heart of the Diamondbacks lineup in order on 11 pitches, seven for strikes.
Neil Ramirez was incredibly sharp in the ninth. Ramirez struck out two of the three batters he faced and hit 94 mph with his fastball.
Jake Arrieta hit the third home run of his career in the second inning and it was anything but a cheap shot. Arrieta’s two run blast traveled 442 feet, the longest home run Pat Hughes said he has ever seen a pitcher hit.
Arrieta’s home run was the fifth longest of the season in the majors. According to ESPN, Arrieta’s home run measured 442 feet, which is longer than any home run he’s allowed in the past five seasons. And Arrieta’s home run was the longest hit by a pitcher within eight seasons.
The Cubs finished the first road trip of the season with a 5-1 record with Sunday’s win over the Diamondbacks.
Here’s how it happened …
The Cubs received an unexpected power source in the second inning and took an early lead in Phoenix.
Miguel Montero just missed a home run to center with one out in the second inning. Montero thought he got all of it. The ball hit off the center field wall. Montero had to hustle into second for a double. Russell was caught looking at a 2-2 pitch for the second out.
Jake Arrieta did not give away his at-bat. Shelby Miller threw one fastball after another. Arrieta obliterated the eighth pitch … and the ball traveled 442 feet (according to ESPN) over the wall in left center. Arrieta put his team up 2-0.
Zobrist followed with a single to right. Heyward rolled out to Goldschmidt to end the inning.
Arrieta set down three of the four batters he faced in the bottom of the second (single by Chris Owings) and the Cubs led 2-0 after two complete.
The Cubs added on in the fourth. La Stella led off with a single to center. Miguel Montero just missed his second home run to center in as many at bats. Montero cranked another double off the tall wall. La Stella scored, 3-0 Cubs. Montero was stranded at second after Russell was caught looking, Arrieta struck out swinging and Zobrist was robbed of a hit by diving Philip Gosselin.
The D-Backs took a big bite out of the Cubs lead in the bottom of the fourth. Goldschmidt ended Arrieta’s scoreless innings streak (32 innings) with a long home run to left, 3-1 Cubs. David Peralta doubled to left center on Arrieta’s next pitch following the Goldschmidt homer. Drury grounded out to short, Peralta moved to third and scored on a Jake Lamb single to center, 3-2 Cubs. Arrieta retired Owings (flyout to center) and Herrmann (grounder to second) to end the inning. The Cubs led 3-2 after four compete.
The Diamondbacks tied it at three in the fifth. Socrates Brito smacked the first homer of his career, a solo home run to right with one down. Arrieta did not let the longball faze him. Gosselin grounded out to Rizzo and Goldschmidt was called out on strikes to end the inning.
Jorge Soler untied the game in the top of the sixth. Soler led off the inning with a towering home run off Shelby Miller, the third time Soler has taken Miller deep in his career. La Stella followed with a single to right and ended Miller’s afternoon. Chip Hale switched out Miller with Randal Delgado. Montero walked on four pitches. Russell appeared to hit into a 5-3 double play. Russell hustled down the line, replays showed he was safe. The umps took another look. The call on the field was overturned. But Arrieta struck out swinging to end the inning.
Arrieta gave up a single to Lamb in the bottom of the sixth, but that was all. The Cubs had a 4-3 lead after six innings.
The offense went back to work in the seventh against Delgado. Heyward walked and went to third on a single to left by Kris Bryant. Rizzo was called out on strikes. Jorge Soler lifted a 1-1 pitch to right. Peralta made the catch. Heyward tagged and scored, 5-3 Cubs. Bryant moved to second on the play. Tommy La Stella ripped a single to center. Bryant scored, 6-3 Cubs. Hale went to his pen for Jake Barrett. Montero struck out swinging to end the inning.
Jake Arrieta allowed another hit in the seventh, a single by Brito. La Stella made a sensational diving stop toward the third baseline and threw out Ahmed at first to end the inning.
The Cubs added on in the eighth against Barrett. Russell started the frame with a single to center. Dexter Fowler batted for Arrieta and was hit by a pitch. Zobrist struck out swinging (3-2 pitch). Jason Heyward singled to left. Russell scored, 7-3 Cubs. Bryant popped out to first and Rizzo lined out to right to end the inning.
Justin Grimm pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning. The Cubs went to the ninth with a 7-3 lead.
The Cubs did not add on in the ninth. Neil Ramirez struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth to close out the game.
Monday is the Cubs home opener … Jon Lester versus Brandon Finnegan and the Reds under the lights at Wrigley Field (7:05pm CDT).