Jorge Soler homered and drove in two runs while Chris Coghlan added a three-run double for the Cubs, who clinched the set to snap a streak of eight straight series losses at home against the Reds. Arrieta (9-5) allowed only two baserunners and faced one batter over the minimum.
Brandon Phillips doubled with one out in the eighth for the only hit for the Reds, who have been shut out in consecutive games for the first time since June 2013. Johnny Cueto (18-9) allowed six runs on five hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings to take the loss.
Soler's fielder's choice in the third inning brought home Arrieta with the game's first run, and things fell apart for Cueto in the sixth. He issued bases-loaded walks to Chris Valaika and Matt Szczur before Coghlan ripped a bases-clearing double into the gap in left-center field.
Soler cranked an 0-2 changeup from reliever Sam LeCure out to left with one out in the seventh to make it 7-0, and the only drama that remained was whether the Reds could muster a hit. It came when Phillips drove an 0-2 sinker to left-center, but Arrieta came back to get the next two batters and cruised through the ninth for his first career complete game and the Cubs' first of the season.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Soler has hit safely in 13 of his first 14 major-league games. … Arrieta has retired the first nine hitters to start a game five times this season, most in the majors, and has taken three no-hit bids into the seventh inning or later. … Cubs CF Arismendy Alcantara sat out with a sore right wrist and 1B Anthony Rizzo (back) took a routine night off a day after hitting a walk-off home run in his first game since Aug. 26.
Cincinnati | Chi. Cubs | |
Johnny Cueto | Player | Jake Arrieta |
Loss | W/L | Win |
5.2 | IP | 9.0 |
8 | Strikeouts | 13 |
5 | Hits | 1 |
9.53 | ERA | 0.00 |
Cincinnati | Chi. Cubs | |
Brandon Phillips | Player | Jorge Soler |
1 | Hits | 2 |
0 | RBI | 2 |
0 | HR | 1 |
2 | TB | 6 |
.333 | Avg | .667 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Cincinnati | 1 | 0 | 2 | .037 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Chi. Cubs | 6 | 1 | 12 | .200 | 17 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 |