The Chicago Cubs have finally tasted defeat when Jake Arrieta takes the mound, as the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ 5-0 victory Tuesday night at Wrigley Field snapped the team’s 23-game winning streak with the 30-year-old ace starting.
Arrieta remains undefeated on the year at 9-0, however. Clayton Richard was credited with the loss.
Entering Tuesday, Arrieta and the Cubs were tied for the longest win streak in major league history with Kris Medlen and the Atlanta Braves, who won 23 straight games in which he started from 2010 to 2012, per the Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN Stats & Info).
Using data from Elias, ESPN Stats & Info provided a look at some of the pitchers Arrieta passed on his way to the top:
Arrieta pitched well enough Tuesday to give the Cubs a chance to surpass Medlen and the Braves, going seven innings and allowing only two hits while striking out eight.
The Cubs highlighted how his performance lowered his already outstanding ERA:
However, Dodgers pitcher Scott Kazmir was even better. He kept Chicago’s bats quiet by allowing only one hit in six innings while striking out seven.
Even though the Cubs saw their six-game winning streak come to an end Tuesday, they sit at a major league-best 35-15 for the season.
That is a testament to not only how well the team has been playing but also Arrieta’s dominance. Chicago hadn’t lost a game Arrieta started since July 25, 2015, and that was a small blemish on what turned out to be a Cy Young Award-winning season.
Though Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is lurking with a National League-best 1.56 ERA, Arrieta could be on his way to a second straight Cy Young Award if he keeps throwing this well all season.
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