CHICAGO (AP) – Jake Arrieta’s bid for a second straight no-hitter ended after five pitches and the Cubs ace went on to win his 16th straight decision, leading Chicago over the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2 Thursday.
Arrieta (5-0) allowed one run, three hits and four walks in five innings – the first run he allowed at Wrigley Field since July 25. Alex Presley’s fifth-inning RBI double ended Arrieta’s home scoreless streak at 52 2/3 innings, four outs shy of Ray Herbert’s major league record set with the Chicago White Sox in 1962-63.
Arrieta’s streak of consecutive winning decisions is the longest since Jose Contreras of the White Sox won 17 in a row from August 2005 to July 2006, according to STATS. Chicago has won in Arrieta’s last 18 starts, a team record.
Chicago improved to 16-5, its best 21-game start since opening 1907 at 17-4. The Cubs’ Kris Bryant left in the fifth after rolling his right ankle while running the bases two innings earlier.
After throwing 119 pitches at Cincinnati on April 21 in his second no-hitter in a span of 11 regular-season starts, Arrieta has six days’ rest. The Cubs were off Monday, and Wednesday’s game was rained out.