Arrieta Throws 8 Scoreless Innings As Cubs Beat Rockies, 6-2
CHICAGO (AP) — Jake Arrieta threw eight scoreless innings and the Chicago Cubs hit three home runs to beat the Colorado Rockies, 6-2, on Saturday.
Arrieta (3-0), the reigning NL Cy Young winner, struck out eight and allowed five hits in his home debut. He has not allowed a run in his last 48 2/3 innings at Wrigley Field.
Dexter Fowler hit a three-run homer in the seventh, and Anthony Rizzo and Jorge Soler hit back-to-back shots in the fourth.
The Cubs have won nine of 11 for their best start since they went 10-1 in 1969.
The Rockies saw their three-game winning streak end. Carlos Gonzalez hit a two-run home run, his fourth, off Travis Wood in the ninth.
Christian Bergman (0-2) matched a career high of seven strikeouts and allowed two runs in five innings in his first start of the season. He made the spot start after giving up four runs in three relief innings.
Rizzo and Soler homered on the first two pitches of the fourth for a 2-0 Cubs lead. Rizzo hit his third homer, and Soler smacked his second to left field. Right fielder Gonzalez set up as if he was going to catch Rizzo's homer before it landed in the right-field stands.
Fowler homered on a 2-1 pitch from David Hale in the seventh after Matt Szczur singled and David Ross walked.
Gonzalez singled in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 11 games this season and 21 games since 2015. He also made a nice defensive play in the third, crashing into the right-field wall to catch a fly ball.
Arrieta struck out swinging the first three batters and retired 10 straight from the fourth to the seventh inning. He has made a club-record 23 consecutive quality starts.
The Rockies had their best chance to score in the third. Dustin Garneau led off with a double but was stranded at third after Cristhian Adames grounded out and rookie Trevor Story struck out.
Story leads the majors with seven homers but continued to struggle against Chicago. He went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts Friday and 1 for 3 with a double and three strikeouts Saturday.
The Rockies won the series opener 6-1 to snap the Cubs' five-game winning streak.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: C Nick Hundley went on the seven-day concussion disabled list, retroactive to Thursday, and RHP Hale was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday. Hundley has been experiencing concussion symptoms after taking a foul tip off his mask Wednesday. "I was supposed to do 10 sprints, but got to four, swung in the cage and got a little woozy," Hundley said. "So I shut it down and just said 'let's take it back a notch' and let it recover more." . Garneau started at catcher. . Hale was 0-1 with a 1.50 ERA in six innings at Albuquerque after he strained his right hamstring in spring training. . INF DJ LeMahieu was not in the lineup but was available despite leg tightness, manager Walt Weiss said.
Cubs: 2B Javier Baez (thumb) made his first start after coming off the disabled list Friday. Baez could start two or three times a week, manager Joe Maddon said.
UP NEXT
Rockies RHP Tyler Chatwood (1-1, 4.38 ERA) will start the series finale against Cubs LHP Jon Lester (1-0, 2.77). Lester is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in his career against Colorado. Chatwood is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA versus Chicago.
(© 2016 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.)
