Cubs Avance with 4-0 Win over Pirates as Jake Arrieta Goes the Distance

Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 7, 2015

National League

Here come the Cubs.

Arrieta hurls 4-hit shutout

Shutting out the Pirates in the NL Wild Card game, 4-0, the Chicago Cubs advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs, to meet the St. Louis Cardinals in a seven-game series starting Friday in St. Louis.

Cubs' starter, Jake Arrieta, once again dazzled hitters, shutting down the Pirates on four hits in a complete game masterpiece. Arrieta didn't walk any batters and struck out 11, earning his first post-season win and the first playoff win for the Cubs since 2003.

Chicago got all of its runs from the first two batters in the lineup. Leadoff man, Dexter Fowler, singled twice, homered and scored three runs. Rookie Kyle Schwarber, who began his season in Double-A, belted a two-run shot off Pittsburgh starter Gerrit Cole in the third inning to put the Cubs up, 3-0. Fowler's solo shot finished the scoring in the fifth.

With the Cubs' ace cruising and Pittsburgh heading for an early exit from the playoffs, Pirates' reliever Tony Wilson plunked Arrieta in the seventh, an action that cleared both benches. Cooler heads prevailed, and only Pirates' first baseman, Sean Rodriguez, was ejected.

Arrieta, the National League's only 20-game winner this season, will likely be the starter for game three of the NLDS, Monday, in Chicago. Jon Lester faces the Cardinals' John Lackey in game one.

With a record of 22-6, Arrieta ended the regular season with 11 straight wins and was 16-1 since June 16.

American League

There were no games in the AL on Wednesday. The Rangers met the Blue Jays in Toronto and the Astros face the Royals in Kansas City on Thursday.