Arrieta's engine keeps purring for Chicago Cubs
MILWAUKEE - There was no real need for a tuneup for Jake Arrieta.
His engine is running just fine. In fact, it's purring right along.
So it was again Friday night at Miller Park. Arrieta made his final start before next Wednesday's wild-card playoff game against the Pirates, and he was the same-old, Arrieta, which is to say dominant.
In the Cubs' 6-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, Arrieta went 6 shutout innings, giving up 2 hits while walking none and striking seven. He ran his record to 22-6 and lowered his ERA from 1.82 to 1.77, further strengthening his case for the Cy Young Award and perhaps moving up the ballot for Most Valuable Player in the National League.
In addition to all of that, he extended his own club record by turning in his 20th consecutive quality start.
"If that did not clinch his award, I don't know what would right there," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "That had to be the clincher, another quality start, a dominating performance. It's just dominating. For me, that should put the icing on the cake."
Arrieta, as he always had, took it all in stride, even the talk of the Cy Young.
"That would be cool," he said. "I don't even know when that award is announced or whatever. When the season's over, we'll think about that a little bit more. Obviously, Wednesday is the most important thing for everybody here, and that's where I'm going to keep my focus for now."
Arrieta was asked where his confidence level is for next Wednesday.
"It's pretty good," he said. "It's kind of the situation we're in right now. I'm definitely prepared, obviously confident. Everything's where it needs to be."
Maddon said before the game he did not consider having Arrieta sit out the game altogether to gain extra rest for the postseason.
"No, I don't think so," Maddon said. "I think you need to keep him in some kind of routine right now. He's a routine freak."
The Cubs (95-65) went into the game still hopeful of catching the Pirates for homefield advantage in the playoff game. That became more difficult as the Pirates beat the Reds Friday night to improve to 97-63. The Pirates have clinched at least a tie for the top wild-card spot. If the two teams end up tied, Wednesday's game will be played at Wrigley Field because the Cubs own the season series against the Pirates.
Arrieta didn't labor against the Brewers. Since the all-star break, Arrieta has an ERA of 0.75 (9 runs in 107⅓ innings pitched) in 15 starts. That's the lowest ERA after the break in major-league history. Arrieta is the first qualifying Cubs pitcher to post a sub-2.00 ERA for the season since Grover Cleveland Alexander put up a 1.91 ERA in 1920.
The last time Arrieta suffered a loss was July 25, when the Phillies' Cole Hamels no-hit the Cubs.
Maddon got Arrieta out of Friday's game after 72 pitches and said he hasn't seen a pitcher do what Arrieta has done.
"Absolutely," he said. "I have not seen this. I don't think a lot of people have. If you break this down from the all-star break, Mr. Gibson (Cardinals great Bob) is the only other, and he was my favorite pitcher growing up. Really, you're hard-pressed to find a better performance than what he's put on for the last several months."
The Cubs scored in each inning from the third through the seventh. Anthony Rizzo hit a solo homer in the fourth and a 2-run single in the fifth. That gave him 99 RBI for the season, tying him for the team lead with Kris Bryant.
Starlin Castro continued his hot hitting for the Cubs, hitting a double in the fourth inning and doubling again in the seventh to drive in a run.