Cubs'
Arrieta wins 11th to tie for most in majors
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[June 18, 2016]
CHICAGO -- Jake Arrieta allowed
just two hits over six innings to earn his National League-leading
11th victory as the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 on
Friday.
Arrieta (11-1) matched Chicago White Sox left-hander Chris Sale
with most major-league wins as he walked three and struck out 11.
Matt Szczur clubbed a two-run homer in the first inning while rookie
Albert Almora Jr. went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBI.
Pirates left-hander Francisco Liriano (4-7) suffered his fourth
straight loss and sixth in seven starts.
The Cubs scored twice with none out in the first as Dexter Fowler
reached on an infield single and Szczur sent Liriano's first pitch
to the left-field bleachers for his third home run of the season.
After that, there were numerous threats but no more scoring until
the sixth inning.
The Pirates had runners on first and third with none out in the
third, but Arrieta escaped by striking out the next three batters.
Chicago had bases loaded in the fourth inning following Javier
Baez's leadoff double and two-out walks to Arrieta and Fowler. But
Szczur grounded to short to end the inning.
The Cubs loaded the bases again with two out in the fifth but again
came up empty as Miguel Montero lined to right for a third out.
The Pirates, in turn, had the bases loaded with one out in the sixth
with three walks as Arrieta topped 100 pitches. But he struck out
David Freese swinging on a full count and caught Matt Joyce looking
on a 3-2 count.
Arrieta was pulled for pinch hitter Chris Coghlan in the bottom of
the sixth as the Cubs added three more runs.
Coghlan hustled for a two-base hit, reached third on a wild pitch
and scored on Ben Zobrist's single to shallow center with two out.
That marked the end for Liriano, who allowed four runs on six hits
in 5 2/3 innings. He walked five and struck out six.
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Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (49) delivers against the
Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory
Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Reliever Cory Luebke walked Rizzo and gave up a run-scoring double
to Albert Almora Jr. to drive in Zobrist. Luebke went on to load the
bases and walked Addison Russell to bring home Rizzo for a 5-0 lead.
The Cubs added a single run in the seventh as Almora's RBI single
scored Fowler.
NOTES: The Pirates didn't reach their Chicago hotel until around 2
a.m. CT Friday but manager Clint Hurdle maintained his players had
plenty of rest for their 1:20 p.m. game. "We got appropriate sleep,
we're ready to go," he said. ... Hurdle needs two victories reach
1,000 all-time as a manager. ... The Pirates briefly returned to
playing Central Division play with this weekend series against the
Cubs. Since May 15, Pittsburgh has played 27 of 30 games outside the
division and then has 13 straight through July 3. ... The Cubs
called up rookie C Willson Contreras from Triple-A Iowa and
designated C Tim Federowicz for assignment. Contreras was batting
.350 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 54 games at Iowa. ... Two
left-handers earn Saturday starts as the Pirates' Jonathon Niese
(6-3, 4.60 ERA) faces the Cubs' Jon Lester (8-3, 1.89 ERA), the
reigning NL pitcher of the week.
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