Game One Hundred Nine: Cubs (67-41) vs. Athletics (48-61)
- Game Time – 3:05pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: WSCR 670 The Score, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 126, 844
- Location – Oakland Coliseum, Oakland
Jake Arrieta, RHP (12-5, 2.75/1.06/3.00) vs. Sonny Gray, RHP (5-10, 5.84/1.52/4.79)
The Cubs look for two in a row over the Athletics and for six straight wins tonight behind Jake Arrieta.
Jake Arrieta pitched a lot better his last time out than his final line looked. Arrieta threw strikes, repeated his mechanics and took a shutout into the eighth inning. Arrieta walked the only two batters he faced in the eighth and the game got away from the bullpen.
The Cubs need for Arrieta to continue to build on his last few outings tonight in Oakland.
Sonny Gray has really struggled this season. Gray has not looked anything like the Cy Young finalist from a year ago.
Joe Maddon should run out a balanced lineup tonight against Gray. Right-handers have a .909 OPS against Gray and have hit .292/.365/.543 with 15 doubles, two triples and 12 home runs. Left-handers only have a .762 OPS with a .284/.329/.432 slash line and 21 extra basehits (15 doubles, six home runs) versus the incredibly talented right-hander.
The Cubs and A’s are wearing throwback uniforms this afternoon. The Cubs are wearing the ’81 road jerseys that have become incredibly popular over the last 35 years.
Today all starts with Jake Arrieta …
Jake Arrieta had a Jake Arrieta-like start his last time out. Arrieta pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up only two hits against a good Mariners’ team. Joe Maddon left Arrieta in for the eighth inning, which was the right decision. Arrieta was sharp in the first seven innings and had a pitch count in the mid-80s. Arrieta walked the first two batters he faced. Maddon went to the pen and Arrieta was hung with a couple of runs and a loss after Aroldis Chapman blew the lead.
Arrieta was charged with two runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts in seven-plus innings. And he pitched a lot better than his final line.
After stumbling into the All-Star break, Arrieta finished July with a 0-3 record in five starts with a 4.88 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. In his last three starts, Arrieta is 0-1 with a 3.15 ERA and 0.90 WHIP. Arrieta has looked much better since the breather and must keep it up today.
Jake Arrieta, like most of his teammates, has not been as effective on the road this season than at Wrigley Field. Arrieta is 8-2 in 11 road starts with a 3.66 ERA and 1.05 WHIP.
For his career, Arrieta is 0-2 in three games, two starts, against the A’s with a 4.61 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. Arrieta was a different pitcher the last time he faced the Oakland Athletics back in 2012.
Athletics Career Numbers against Jake Arrieta
- Khris Davis: 4-for-19 with two doubles and one walk
- Danny Valencia: 1-for-11
- Billy Butler: 3-for-7 with two walks
- Coco Crisp: 1-for-4 with one double
- Yonder Alonso: 0-for-2
Sonny Gray has really struggled this season. Gray is coming off another horrible outing, the third time in his last six starts he’s given up seven runs. The Indians knocked Gray out of the game in the fourth inning. Gray gave up seven runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.
Gray is 2-2 in his last four starts with a 8.85 ERA and 1.77 WHIP. One of the best young pitchers in baseball has allowed 20 runs on 28 hits with eight walks and 19 strikeouts in his last 20 1/3 innings.
Sonny Gray makes his 11th start at the Coliseum tonight. Gray is 3-5 in 10 home starts with a 5.98 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. Gray has allowed 36 runs, 33 earned, on 57 hits with 22 walks and 43 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings.
The Cubs get their first look at Sonny Gray in a regular season game tonight.
Ben Zobrist (2-for-5 with two doubles and one walk), Dexter Fowler (2-for-4) and Jason Heyward (0-for-3) are the only three players on Joe Maddon’s active roster that have faced Gray in a regular season big league ballgame.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …