LDN - Sports

Arrieta, Bryant send Cubs past Brewers

[April 10, 2017] MILWAUKEE -- When he is on top of his game, Jake Arrieta doesn't need much in terms of run support. But stake him to a four-run lead in the first inning, as his Chicago Cubs did Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers, and he is nearly impossible to beat.

Arrieta struck out 10, and Kris Bryant recorded his second three-hit day in a row as the Cubs clinched a second consecutive series victory by beating the Brewers 7-4 on Sunday afternoon at Miller Park.

Bryant reached in all four of his plate appearances, singling three times and drawing a walk in the seventh. After starting the season 0-for-13, he went 7-for-12 in the three games at Milwaukee.

In all, the Cubs recorded 11 hits on the day, including home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Ben Zobrist.

"Don't try too hard, just realize that they (hits) come and it always happens that way," Bryant said. "But it's nice that, just as a team, too, I think we all started hitting. Yesterday, today, was just kind of a good way head into the home stand."

Most of the damage came at the expense of Brewers right-hander Zach Davies as his second start of the season nearly turned into a complete meltdown.

The Cubs tagged him for four runs in the opening inning and took a 5-0 lead with Kyle Schwarber opened the second with his second home run of the season.

Davies (0-2) needed 58 pitches to get through those first two frames but settled in from there, posting zeros in each of the next three innings while retiring 12 of his last 13 on 34 pitches. He wound up allowing five runs on seven hits in five innings.

"I was proud of how he competed more than anything," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "That's a game where nothing went right in the first inning. He wasn't making pitches. He made a mistake in the second inning that could have created a rough, rough game but from then on, he pitched beautifully. He pitched excellent. The first inning was not a positive but taking away from that, I think Zach has something to build on for sure."

Ryan Braun prevented a bigger deficit with a diving grab of Jayson Heyward to end the second and he put Milwaukee on the board in the third, ripping a three-run homer to straight-away center off Arrieta.

"It was a mistake and he made me pay for it," Arrieta said. "But those things happen, bounce back. I don't think I gave up a hit after that. Offense was big for me today. I had pretty much everything working other than the change-up. I think I only threw two all day and that's a pitch that I want to continue to get working."

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Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta (49) pitches in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Arrieta (2-0) worked six innings, yielding three runs on three hits and two walks. After Braun's homer, he retired his next 10 in a row and 13 of his last 14 batters while striking out a pair in the fifth and the side in the sixth.

"He was really good today," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "I thought great command of his fastball, really good curveball, outstanding curveball. He was just really on top of his game, I thought. And I loved the delivery, I loved the command. That's the thing. He didn't hit 95 or 96, whatever. But he knew where the fastball was going. Much prefer that over velocity."

The Cubs gave Arrieta a pair of insurance runs in the with two out in the seventh.

Zobrist sent Carlos Torres' first offering to right for his second home run of the season. Addison Russell followed with his second hit of the day and advanced to second on a wild throw by second baseman Jonathan Villar.

Heyward the made it a 7-3 affair with a base hit to right, chasing Torres.

Domingo Santana hit a two-out solo home run in the ninth off Cubs right-hander Hector Rondon.

NOTES: The Brewers recalled RHP David Goforth from Triple-A Colorado Springs. To make room on the 40-man roster, Milwaukee designated RHP Damien Magnifico for assignment. Goforth takes the active roster spot of LHP Brent Suter, who was optioned back to Colorado Springs following Milwaukee's Saturday loss to the Cubs. ... The Cubs bullpen has held opposing batters to a .147 batting average and .593 OPS this season. ... Chicago returns home for the first time this season Monday when the Cubs celebrate their home opener as well as their 2016 World Series championship against the Dodgers at Wrigley Field.

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