NEWSLETTER
Jake Arrieta has posted some sterling numbers against the Cardinals in his career. Put aside the 4-1 record, and note a 1.63 ERA, 1.048 WHIP, 60 strikeouts and 19 walks in 55 innings over nine career starts.
Four of those starts have come in 2015. The results are as follows:
April 8 at Wrigley Field: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K, 104 pitches (Dec.: Win)
A weather-related postponement delayed Arrieta’s season debut, but it was worth the wait, as the Cubs earned a two-game split in the season-opening series behind Arrieta’s strong start in a 2-0 win. He worked around three relative scoring threats, overcoming a pair of first-inning walks, two third-inning singles and a two-out walk and double in the sixth en route to preserving a scoreless tie at that point and notching the first of his 29 quality starts this season. However, it was a rare start where Arrieta allowed more balls in the air (10) than on the ground (7) as he took advantage of a 46-degree game-time temperature and winds blowing in from center field at 6 m.p.h.
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May 7 at Busch Stadium: 5.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 7 K, 106 pitches (Dec.: Loss)
With the Cubs looking to salvage a four-game split in St. Louis, Arrieta struggled on getaway day. The nine hits were the most he has allowed this season and the 5.1 innings pitched represent one of only three times in which he didn’t complete at least six innings, while his Bill James Game Score of 38 was his lowest of the season. Arrieta’s start on this date was arguably the low-point of his season. Jason Heyward — who was batting sixth at the time — tagged him for three hits, a stolen base and three runs, while John Lackey and Peter Bourjos each knocked Arrieta for an extra-base hit. Lackey’s hit was a two-out RBI double that came after Bourjos was intentionally walked. The first four hitters in the Cardinals order went 3-for-12 with no runs scored, no runs batted in and four strikeouts (no walks) against Arrieta and three Cubs relievers. Meanwhile, the five-through-nine spots were 7-for-17 with five runs scored.
June 26 at Busch Stadium: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 102 pitches (No dec.)
“Of all people…Greg Garcia ties it.”
Arrieta’s performance against the Cardinals in this one gets overlooked, in part, because pinch-hitter Greg Garcia deposited a 3-1 pitch from Pedro Strop into the center field bleachers to tie the game at two in the eighth. The Cubs would go on to lose 3-2 in extras and would be swept in the three-game set. Arrieta was a strike-throwing machine, firing 69 strikes and whiffing seven batters in the process. In fact, of the 21 batters Arrieta retired, 17 were set down via strikeout or ground ball out. He ended the night retiring 16 of the last 17 batters he faced.
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July 7 at Wrigley Field: 6.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 103 pitches (Dec.: Win)
Arrieta’s pitching performance set the tone for a doubleheader sweep of the Cardinals on this day. It wasn’t his best outing, but he was efficient enough to record a quality start as he pitched six scoreless innings before allowing a pair of runs in the seventh. The runs came after two outs when a Peter Bourjous double plated Jhonny Peralta (who led off the inning with a walk) and Xavier Scruggs singled in Bourjos to cut the Cubs lead to 3-2. The damage was limited to that as James Russell struck out Matt Carpenter looking to end the innings, stranding Scruggs. Arrieta also contributed with the bat, going 2-for-3 with a run scored on a bases loaded walk and in limiting the Cardinals running game by picking off Tommy Pham in the first.
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Upon further review:
