Brewers fail to pounce on Arrieta early, fall again to Cubs

CHICAGO (AP) — It took the Milwaukee Brewers five pitches to end any suspense over whether Jake Arrieta would pitch his second straight no-hitter.

Yet leaving the bases loaded in the first against the Chicago Cubs ace proved costly. So did 11 walks by a reeling pitching staff

Arrieta got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam before settling down and allowing one run over five innings Thursday, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 7-2 victory. Arrieta has won 16 consecutive decisions, the longest streak in a decade.

"You've got to capitalize when you've got them on the ropes, and that was big for him. He settled down the next few innings," said Alex Presley, who drove in the only run off Arrieta in the fifth. "We needed to get him then."

Arrieta (5-0) gave up one run, three hits and four walks in five innings — the first run he allowed at Wrigley Field since July 25.

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.

"I knew he'd been pitching well across the board," Presley said. "Never entered my mind, but that's a pretty unbelievable stretch."

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.

Wearing short sleeves on a 45-degree cloudy day with a 12 mph wind at his back, Arrieta had no command early. He needed 31 pitches to get through the first inning, when Jonathan Villar led off with an opposite-field, broken-bat single over third base. A pair of one-out walks loaded the bases before Chris Carter and Kirk Nieuwenhuis struck out on elevated 94 mph fastballs.

Ben Zobrist hit a two-run single in the first off Taylor Jungmann (0-4), who gave up five runs, six hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings as his ERA role to 9.15. He also hit Bryant with two pitches.

The bullpen walked eight more.

"There's no success in 11 walks, that's for sure," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We were fortunate to only give up seven runs."

David Ross hit solo home run onto Waveland Avenue in the second, and Anthony Rizzo and Tommy La Stella added RBI doubles in the third for a 5-0 lead.

Villar had three hits and stole three bases as the Brewers lost to the Cubs for the 14th time in 15 games.

Milwaukee, which has lost five of six overall, needs better pitching.

"I think right now I'm a little timid," Jungmann said. "That's never been me, but it's obvious when you watch the game. Too much going on in my head and not competing."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers: 2B Scooter Gennett (right oblique) was placed on the 15-day disabled list and Milwaukee selected the contract of INF Hernan Perez from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Counsell said Gennett will miss about three weeks. Perez replaced 3B Aaron Hill in the fourth as part of a double switch. To clear a roster spot, RHP Matt Garza was transferred to the 60-day DL.

Cubs: C Miguel Montero (lower back tightness) went on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Monday. C Tim Federowicz was recalled from Triple-A Iowa over prospect Willson Contreras, whose "time will come," according to manager Joe Maddon.

ROSTER SHUFFLE

Counsell said he'll use a platoon of Yadiel Rivera, winter-meetings draft pick Colin Walsh and Perez at second while Gennett is sidelined.

To make room for Perez on Milwaukee's 25-man roster, RHP Matt Garza (right lat strain) was moved to the 60-day disabled list. Garza won't be eligible to return until June 3.

"It's not a setback, it's just a timing issue," Counsell said. "He'll be pitching by then, but not ready for a full big league start."

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Zach Davies (0-2, 9.72 ERA) starts Friday night in the opener of a three-game home series against Miami and LHP Adam Conley (0-1, 5.12).

Cubs: LHP Jon Lester (2-1, 1.98) faces Atlanta RHP Aaron Blair (0-1, 5.06) at Wrigley to begin a three-game series matching the NL teams with the best and worst records.