BOSTON — Jake Arrieta certainly picked two of baseball’s most historic places to put on memorable performances.
BOSTON — Jake Arrieta certainly picked two of baseball’s most historic places to put on memorable performances.
Arrieta held the Red Sox hitless until Stephen Drew singled with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Boston Red Sox 2-0 on Monday night in the opener of only the second series between the teams at Fenway Park since 1918.
Six days after losing a perfect game on a leadoff single in the seventh inning of his previous start at Wrigley Field against Cincinnati, Arrieta took his no-hit bid a little deeper at Fenway. He allowed only Mike Napoli’s fifth-inning walk before Drew lined a sharp single to right.
“It’s special to do it in this ballpark,” Arrieta said. “It was special to do it last week in Wrigley and to do it here in these two parks is pretty special.”
Starting the season on the disabled list with shoulder tightness, the 28-year old right-hander was pushing his pitch limit before Drew lined a 2-2 pitch.
Arrieta (5-1) was lifted by Cubs manager Rick Renteria immediately following the hit that came on his career-high 120th pitch.
The 28-year-old Arrieta was given a loud ovation before he even got to the foul line, tipping his cap to the Boston crowd. He tipped it again after crossing the line.
“Something like that in Fenway is pretty rare for an opposing team, so yeah I got some goosebumps there,” he said. “That’s why you play this game, for moments like that. I was very thankful to be a part of something like that.”
Arrieta fanned 10 in just his 11th start of the season.
“Awesome. That was some kind of awesome,” Renteria said of the ovation. “We were standing out there at the mound. That was some show of respect.”
Drew’s hit ensured the Red Sox wouldn’t be no-hit for the first time since Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio pitched a no-no against Boston in 1993 for Seattle.
Arrieta’s performance helped jog Bosio’s memory of his special night.
“Everything,” Bosio said when asked what he recalled from his no-hitter. “We had just come off a long road trip from Detroit and Toronto and I was real sick before the game. I had cut my warmup in half. I pretty much remember everything from the game. Every play, every at-bat right up until the last out.”
Hector Rondon allowed a pinch-hit single to A.J. Pierzynski leading off the ninth before finishing the two-hitter for his 10th save.
“Three above-average pitches with above average command,” Boston manager John Farrell said of Arrieta. “A lot of power to his fastball. Stayed out of the middle of the plate. He was outstanding.”
Nate Schierholtz hit a two-run homer for Chicago.
Jake Peavy (1-7) is winless in his last 12 starts. He gave up two runs on five hits, walking two and striking out seven in six innings.
In just the second regular season series at Fenway between the clubs since Boston won the 1918 World Series in six games, Arrieta mixed his pitches by combining a sharp cutter and curve with an above-average fastball.
“He located everything. He’s got great stuff,” Boston’s Dustin Pedroia said. “He kept every pitch out of the zone. I had three at-bats and I don’t think I got one good pitch to hit.”
The Red Sox, who arrived in Boston around 4 a.m. after a win Sunday night in New York against the Yankees, really didn’t have anything close to a hit before Drew’s brought up a roar from the crowd.
Arrieta fell behind Napoli 3-0 before getting a called strike. Napoli then fouled a pitch off before drawing a walk on the next pitch. Xander Bogaerts lined to left after Napoli’s walk.
Arrieta, who started the season on the disabled list with the shoulder tightness, made his first start of the season on May 3.
He’s been spectacular in June. Coming in, he allowed just four runs and 20 hits in 31 2-3 innings, winning his three previous starts.
The Cubs took a 2-0 lead in the fourth when Welington Castillo walked and Schierholtz followed with his homer into Boston’s bullpen.
Arrieta was acquired by the Cubs last July along with right-hander Pedro Strop from Baltimore for pitcher Scott Feldman, catcher Steve Clevenger and two international signing bonus slots.
The last time Boston was no-hit at home, Ted Williams flied out to right field for the final out of Detroit ace Jim Bunning’s gem on July 20, 1958 in the opener of a doubleheader.
TIGERS 5, A’S 4
DETROIT — Rajai Davis hit his third career grand slam with one out in the ninth inning, giving the Tigers a victory over the Athletics.
Oakland closer Sean Doolittle (2-2) was given a three-run lead to work with in the ninth, but only managed one out. Nick Castellanos and Alex Avila started the inning with singles. Eugenio Suarez struck out but Doolittle walked Austin Jackson — just the second walk he has issued this season — to load the bases for Davis.
Blaine Hardy (1-0) earned his first career victory with a scoreless top of the ninth.
Oakland starter Scott Kazmir left the game in the sixth, one pitch after appearing to grab at his hip, but Dan Otero replaced him and kept the game tied through seven innings. A team spokesperson said that Kazmir was “fine”.
RAYS 4, YANKS 3 (12)
NEW YORK — Logan Forsythe hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the 12th inning and the Rays beat the Yankees after squandering a late lead.
Matt Joyce and Kevin Kiermaier homered for the resurgent Rays, who have their first three-game winning streak since taking a season-best four in a row May 22-25. They’ve won five of six overall and no longer own the worst record in the majors, a distinction that had belonged to them every day since June 4.
Brian Roberts homered off Rays reliever Joel Peralta with one out in the ninth to tie it 3-all.
Brandon Guyer drew a two-out walk from Jose Ramirez (0-2) in the 12th and stole second base. Forsythe lined the next pitch into center field, scoring Guyer easily.
Brad Boxberger (1-1) pitched two perfect innings for his first major league win in 72 appearances.
ROYALS 6, TWINS 1
MINNEAPOLIS — Alcides Escobar tied a career high with four RBIs on two doubles and Salvador Perez homered to lift the Royals to a victory over the Twins.
Danny Duffy (5-7) gave up one run and four hits while striking out three in 5 2-3 innings and Mike Moustakas had two hits for the Royals. Kansas City (43-39) has won three of four and is off to its best start since 2003.
Yohan Pino (0-2) gave up four runs and seven hits while also striking out three in 5 2-3 innings for the Twins. Eduardo Nunez had two hits and an RBI in his return from the disabled list for Minnesota, which has lost six of its last seven games to drop into last place in the AL Central.
MARINERS 10, ASTROS 4
HOUSTON — Robinson Cano had a three-run shot in the seventh inning, one of the Seattle Mariners’ season-high four homers in a win over the Astros.
Mike Zunino had a two-run drive in the second, Michael Saunders added a pair on his long ball in the fourth and Brad Miller homered two batters later to help the Mariners to their eighth win in 10 games.
Heralded prospect Taijuan Walker (1-0) allowed homer runs to George Springer and Marwin Gonzalez early before settling down to strike out six in six innings in his season debut after dealing with a shoulder problem.
Houston starter Collin McHugh (4-7) allowed five hits, five runs and tied a career high with three home runs in six innings.
ORIOLES 7, RANGERS 1
BALTIMORE — Steve Pearce hit two of Baltimore’s four home runs off Joe Saunders and Ubaldo Jimenez ended a run of nine winless starts as the Orioles defeated the Rangers.
Adam Jones and J.J. Hardy also homered for the Orioles, who hit a major league-leading 46 long balls in June.
Jimenez (3-8) allowed one run, none earned, and four hits with seven strikeouts in eight innings. The right-hander walked only one after issuing 30 free passes in his previous seven starts.
Saunders (0-5) gave up seven runs and nine hits in five innings.
BRAVES 5, METS
ATLANTA — Three errors by New York fueled Atlanta’s comeback as the Braves scored four runs in the eighth inning and beat the Mets for their fifth straight win.
Errors by reliever Jeurys Familia (1-3), center fielder Juan Lagares and third baseman Eric Campbell in the eighth helped the Braves rally from a 3-1 deficit.
Anthony Varvaro (3-1) pitched one scoreless inning to earn the victory. Craig Kimbrel recorded the final three outs for his 25th save.
The Braves announced late in the game that catcher Evan Gattis will be placed on the 15-day disabled list after an MRI revealed a bulging thoracic disk in his back.
Curtis Granderson had two hits, including a homer, for the Mets.
NATS 7, ROCKIES 3
WASHINGTON — Adam LaRoche homered, Ryan Zimmerman had three hits and Ian Desmond added two doubles and three RBIs as the Nationals welcomed back Bryce Harper with a win over the Rockies.
Harper, who missed 57 games because of a torn ligament in his left thumb, went 1 for 3 with an RBI single — on Bryce Harper bobblehead night.
Jordan Zimmermann (6-4) allowed two runs in six innings as Washington won its third straight.
Justin Morneau had three hits for the Rockies, who have lost 12 of 14.
Yohan Flande (0-1), making his second start, was charged with three runs on six hits.