It’s basically a sweep!
In the 5th inning, the Brewers scored a run off of Jake Arrieta. It was the first run he’d allowed at Wrigley Field in the regular season since July of last year. That streak, 52.2 innings, was the second longest in history. I had kinda just come to assume it was going to last forever.
Arrieta was not at his sharpest today, which is to say he was merely very good, rather than sublime. The command was off by quite a bit, but he was still able to dial up the fastball when he needed it. Still, the pitches totaled quickly, and after five innings and 92 pitches, Arrieta’s day was done. That ended his quality starts streak of 24 (twenty-four!).[adinserter block=”1″]
In the end, though, the Cubs were just too good, relentless at the plate, solid in the bullpen, and keeping the foot on the gas all game.
The difference between the two teams was perhaps best expressed in the first inning when, while adjusting to the cold, both starting pitchers struggled with command and wound up with the bases loaded and one out. Arrieta struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning unscathed. Taylor Jungmann did not strike the next two batters out, but he did get a popped up foul ball off the bat of Ben Zobrist … which Aaron Hill dropped into the Cubs’ dugout. Zobrist drove in two runs on the very next pitch.
And, hey, how about David Ross crushing a monster homer out of the stadium?
It wasn’t all sunshine and roses, though, as Kris Bryant left mid-game after rolling his ankle on the bases. Hopefully it won’t be a serious issue.[adinserter block=”2″]
Still, the Cubs’ relentless offense remains impressive …