The Cubs have won in each of Arrieta’s 12 starts since they were no-hit by Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels on July 25. With 22 wins this season, he is far and away Chicago’ best pitcher.
Advertisement
The team has the tools they need to be successful.
First, let’s assume for now that the Cubs and Pirates will be squaring off a week from Wednesday in the do-or-die wild card contest.
Teheran (11-8) allowed five hits, walked one and struck out six. That first hit, a lead-off double by Addison Russell, would turn into a run quickly. Zobrist then scored when right fielder Torii Hunter fumbled a single by Mike Moustakas.
Chicago added two runs in the fifth after Milwaukee center fielder Logan Schafer bumped into right fielder Domingo Santana while going for a routine fly ball. However, the Pirates moved to the cusp of securing the league’s top wild card by rallying for a 12-inning win over slumping Cincinnati. The fourth inning homer cut it closer, 99-97. Tomlin (7-2) made one mistake – a two-run homer by David Ortiz.
Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers the Chicago Cubs for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN Radio 1000. His impressive start means he has given up only four runs over his last 82 innings. Fowler would be dinged up on the next at bat, when Kyle Schwarber hit a would-be single up the middle. And both players made big impacts.
That was more than enough for Jake. So when we break down Lester’s 2015 numbers, the lesser ones don’t stand out in our psyches the way they might if the Cubs were 73-86 going into the season’s final series. His fastball had life. I’m sure there have been plenty of fan bases over the years sweating the fact that their team had to face Clayton Kershaw, only to find later that beating him one time wasn’t impossible after all. He finishes with a career high 229 innings pitched in 33 games. Hammel has a 5.10 ERA during the second half with a 4.54 FIP.
Arrieta is scheduled to pitch one more time in the regular season on Friday in Milwaukee. The Pirates are 51-27 at home and 45-36 on the road this season.
While Joe was talking to Jake, Rizzo and Starlin Castro were working on scoring a sixth run.
This Cubs team is youthful throughout, led by the 23-year-old Bryant and 25-year-old Rizzo. Too much for the Brewers.
Sale allowed Jefry Marte’s second-inning homer while giving up five hits and striking out seven to end his season with 274. It was the only highlight worth anything for the Brewers on the night. The former Francis Howell North and Jefferson College star is two innings from reaching 200 for a 15th consecutive season.
CHICAGO – Leury Garcia singled home the winning run in the ninth as the White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers, 4-3, Saturday and avoided finishing last in the AL Central. If I had money on it, the St. Louis Cardinals better prepare to play the Cubs in the NLDS. He fills out a stat line pretty well.
Cubs: RHP Jason Motte, who has been on DL since August. 24 with a sprained right shoulder, left the Cubs on Saturday to continue his rehabilitation at the team’s complex in Arizona.
Advertisement
So the Cubs are 95-65, and get to beat up on the Brewers for two more games. The Pirates have seven games left, the Cubs eight.
