The Cubs won their ninth straight Saturday night, beating the White Sox 6-3 in the second game of the weekend series at U.S. Cellular Field. It is the Cubs’ longest winning streak since they won nine in a row from May 26-June 3, 2008. The Cubs have won 15 of their last 16 games.
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On the mound
Jake Arrieta (14-6, 2.39) earned the win against Sox left-hander Jose Quintana (6-10, 3.62). Quintana lasted six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. Arrieta went 62/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and striking out five. He became the first Cubs pitcher to toss 11 straight quality starts since Steve Trachsel in 1994. Hector Rondon earned his 21st save.
At the plate
Anthony Rizzo, Dexter Fowler, Jorge Soler, Kris Bryant and Addison Russell each collected two hits for the Cubs. Jose Abreu had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Sox. Bryant extended his hitting streak to 12 games. Rizzo is hitting .431 (22-for-51) in his last 15 games.
In the field
Sox third baseman Tyler Saladino made a sensational lunging stab of a line drive off the bat of Chris Denorfia in the second inning. Rizzo hit a fly ball to center that dropped between Adam Eaton and Melky Cabrera for a gift double in the sixth.
Key number
0.50 — Earned-run average for Rondon over his last 36 games.
Key at-bats
Arrieta struck out Carlos Sanchez and Tyler Flowers in the fourth with two men on base. Kyle Schwarber drove in a run in the fifth after Dexter Fowler had been walked intentionally with two outs.
The quote
“I love the kid. He’s a competitor. When he goes into a game, you know, the other team knows they’re in a fight and he’s grinding the whole way. His record is one thing, but we know what he is.” Ventura on Quintana.
The quote II
“We’ve been playing much better defense. The one, Adam (Eaton) just lost it and didn’t see it. The other one (a throwing error by Alexei Ramirez), we should have executed. That’s one we should have got done and it didn’t happen.” Ventura on the costly Sox errors.
Up next
Cubs at White Sox, 1:10 p.m. Sunday, WGN-9, CSN.