Lester strikes out 10 as Cubs fall to Rockies 2-0
CHICAGO (AP) - Jon Lester was effective on the mound. The other team's pitcher was a little better.
Nolan Arenado hit two home runs, Tyler Chatwood threw seven shutout innings, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Chicago Cubs 2-0 on Sunday.
Chatwood (2-1), Miguel Castro and Jake McGee combined to hold the Cubs to three hits. Chicago had been averaging 6.45 runs per game, second in the majors.
The Rockies had four hits against Lester (1-1), who struck out 10 in 7 1-3 innings.
"Sometimes the other guy makes better pitches throughout the game than you do, and he was able to bear down there and makes some pitches with no outs and a guy on second," Lester said. "He had everything working. He was able to tie our lefties up, which is hard to do, and kept our righties off balanced with that sinker."
The Cubs tried to come back in the ninth. Jason Heyward doubled with one out and Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch with two outs before McGee struck out Kris Bryant for his third save.
The Rockies took two of three for their first series win at Wrigley Field since 2011. The Cubs were trying to reach 10 wins in the first 12 games for the first time since 1969.
"Chatwood was outstanding," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "To shut down that lineup, it's quite a feat."
Chatwood struck out seven and allowed two hits and a walk in his third start since April 29, 2014. He missed all of 2015 and most of 2014 after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery.
Arenado hit a two-out homer into the left-field basket off Lester in the fourth and a two-out drive off Justin Grimm in the ninth. He has six home runs this season and seven career multihomer games.
"At the end of the day, I didn't execute one pitch and it ended up costing us," Lester said.
Lester also led off the sixth with a double - his first career extra-base hit - to make him 5 for 100 at the plate in his career.
"I closed my eyes and hit it pretty good," Lester said. "I tried to get something going."
Chatwood retired the first 14 hitters, striking out six, until Jorge Soler drew a two-out walk in the fifth. Javier Baez followed with a single for the Cubs' first hit. David Ross grounded into a forceout to end the inning.
"I was able to locate my cutter, and fastball command was good to lefties," Chatwood said.
THAT THROW
Lester, who has had trouble throwing to bases, bounced a toss to first but still got the out on Brandon Barnes' dribbler in the eighth.
"Me and (first baseman Anthony Rizzo), we have an agreement where I'm going to miss down," Lester said. "I know he's really good at picking the ball, so I'm going to miss down and it was just a two-hopper instead of the one-hopper. At the end of the day, I don't really care how it looks as long as we get the out."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (abdominal strain) is expected join the team in Cincinnati this week, when the team will likely decide whether he's ready to return to the rotation or make another rehab appearance.
Cubs: INF Javier Baez (thumb), who was activated from the disabled list Friday, started Sunday at SS after playing 2B Saturday. Manager Joe Maddon plans to use Baez to give frequent rest to SS Addison Russell and 2B Ben Zobrist.
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Jordan Lyles (0-1, 11.25 ERA) will start the series opener Monday at Cincinnati. He is 3-1 with a 5.77 ERA in his career against the Reds, who will pitch RHP Alfredo Simon (0-1, 12.15).
Cubs: RHP John Lackey (2-0, 5.68) takes the mound against his former team for the series opener Monday at St. Louis. He has never pitched against the Cardinals in the regular season but faced them when Boston won the 2013 World Series. Lackey, who is 11-4 with a 2.03 ERA at Busch Stadium, will pitch against RHP Mike Leake (0-1, 6.97).