Arrieta gives up six runs in loss to Pirates |
PITTSBURGH -- The Chicago Cubs made a dramatic comeback as Miguel Montero hit a homerun to tie the game in the sixth inning and Anthony Rizzo hit a go-ahead solo home run to put the Cubs ahead by one over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the seventh inning. However, it wouldn’t be enough as the Pittsburgh Pirates would go on to score four runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth giving them the win with a score of 8-4.
After losing two games to the Reds and losing against the Braves on Thursday night, the Cubs hoped to turn their luck around in Friday evening’s game with ace pitcher Jake Arrieta, who looked to try and become just the third Cub to record 13 wins before the All-Star break. The Cubs have now dropped the last seven of their eight games. Arrieta only threw 13 pitches in the first inning and struck out two Pirates players, but the second inning he gave up a home run to David Freese to put the Pirates ahead 1-0. Sean Rodriguez then homered to left, scoring Starling Marte in the process putting the Pirates ahead 3-0 after the second inning. The Cubs kept getting baserunners on but were unable to score after the first three innings. Jason Heyward barely missed a home run as he earned his first triple as a Cub in the fourth inning as Baez got an RBI groundout, but still trailed 3-1. The Cubs had only two hits off of Francisco Liriano going into the sixth inning and had left base runners stranded in every inning besides the fourth. Liriano was taken out of the game as the Cubs were threatening to score with two runners on base. Montero hits a two-out, two-run game-tying home run. The score was 3-3 going into the bottom of the 6th as Arrieta shut down the Pirates with three straight groundouts sending the game quickly to the 7th inning. Rizzo hit a go-ahead solo homer (off of a 98.5 MPH fastball) and put the Cubs ahead 4-3 in the 7th. Arrieta walked a Pirates player for the first time of the game in the bottom of the seventh. It would come back to bite him as Jaso singled to left center scoring Frazier, and tying the game at 4. Arrieta then left the game and was replaced by Carl Edwards Jr. The Pirates took the go ahead lead on a throwing error by Rizzo putting the score at 5-4. They were finally able to get out of the inning, but not before the damage had been done. The Cubs went into the top of the 8th trailing 7-4. The inning saw nine batters for the Pirates. The Pirates would score one more in the eighth giving them the win with a score of 8-4. Arrieta would leave the game with six innings pitched allowing nine hits, six runs, and two home runs allowed. It’s the first time he’s allowed 4+ runs in three straight starts. The Cubs are struggling in all aspects of the game and were unable to recover after the Pirates took the lead in the 7th. The game marks their fourth loss in a row and seven of their last eight games. The Cubs will try to get it together on Saturday night as they face the Pirates again as Jon Lester will face Chad Kuhl on the pitcher’s mound. This little @Cubs fan thinks traveling to Pittsburgh was well worth it when she got @benzobrist18 's foul. pic.twitter.com/mIZ896IVdL That would be a go-ahead solo homer for Mr. Rizzo! #Cubs lead 4-3 in the 7th! #TeamRizzo pic.twitter.com/pVHt2cbSpm
