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 A Cy Young Award candidate, Arrieta scattered three hits, struck out
11 and walked just one in a complete-game collaboration with catcher
Miguel Montero.
Arrieta, 29, is the Cubs' first 20-game winner since Jon Lieber went
20-6 in 2001.
"I didn't feel sharp, I felt off," he said. "Those days where you
have a handful of starts where it's a tossup, you're not sure the
way it's going to go. But your mindset plays a big deal in what the
outcome looks like.
"You try to be mentally tough and grind it out."
The Wrigley Field crowd stood and roared approval as Arrieta (20-6)
worked a one-two-three ninth that included two strikeouts.
"It's special, the crowd here appreciates it," Arrieta said.
"They were into it from the first pitch and that's what makes
playing this game so much fun, it's playing in front of your home
crowd in a city like Chicago."
It was his fifth successive outing of eight or more innings, his
fourth complete game of the season and third complete-game shutout.
One was a no-hitter on Aug. 30 at the Dodgers, a 2-0 victory that
included 12 strikeouts and just one walk.
"You've got to give him credit," Brewers left fielder Kris Davis
said.
"He hits his spots and he's got electric stuff, swing and miss stuff
in the zone. You've just got to battle and just hope we string
(hits) together, but he's tough."
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Arrieta got all the support he needed on third baseman Kris Bryant's
third-inning two-run home run.
Bryant went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, including an eighth-inning RBI
double to make it 4-0. Kyle Schwarber was 2-for-3 and scored twice.
Bryant gave Arrieta a 2-0 lead in the third inning with a two-out
homer to left for his 26th of the season.
Bryant's shot, which broke Billy Williams' rookie Cubs home-run
record set in 1961, came on a first pitch with two out and drove in
Schwarber.
"I was joking around with (Arrieta) after the game and I told him he
always has to outdo me," Bryant said.
"But it's so much fun to play behind Jake. He works quick, throws a
lot of strikes and he's one of the best pitchers in baseball."
(Compiled by Greg Stutchbury)
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