Observations: Arrieta recovers, offense does not in loss

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The Cubs lost 6-0 Sunday to the Brewers at Wrigley Field. With the rubber-match loss, the Cubs dropped the three-game series to their division rival. They've now lost three series to the Brewers in the first month of the season.

Here are 10 observations from the game:

  1. Cubs reliever Ryan Tepera began serving a two-game suspension, for throwing behind Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff a couple weeks ago, on Sunday. As the result of his appeal, MLB reduced his suspension from three games to two.
  2. With his first three pitches of the game, Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta gave up two base hits to the left side of the field, a double and a single. He walked the next two batters he faced to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead.
  3. Almost as quickly as Arrieta pitched into a jam, the veteran pitched out of it. After a mound visit from pitching coach Tommy Hottovy, Arrieta retired 15 batters in a row.
  4. Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner continued to make the most of his call-up from the South Bend alternate site. He flashed the leather in the second inning, making a diving stop on a ground ball up the middle as part of a one-two-three inning. Then in the eighth inning, Hoerner let a popup drop to set a double play.
  5. The Cubs recalled Hoerner when left fielder Joc Pederson went to the 10-day injured list with left wrist tendonitis last week. On Sunday, Cubs manager David Ross said Pederson had made “some really good progress” in the last two days.
  6. The Cubs finally put two men on base in the fourth inning, after three perfect innings from Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff. Ian Happ led off with a walk, and David Bote recorded the Cubs’ first hit. But the inning ended with back-to-back strikeouts and Happ’s failed steal attempt.
  7. In his last inning on the mound, Arrieta again pitched out of a jam. He walked Omar Narváez, and then Avisaíl García hit a chopper that bounced under the glove of a charging Javy Báez. Then, Arrieta struck out the next three batters.  
  8. Despite a disastrous beginning to the day, Arrieta put together a quality start. He allowed just one run in six innings and struck out eight. He threw 101 pitches, the most he’s tossed in a game this season.
  9. Cubs reliever Alec Mills picked up where Arrieta left off, throwing two shutout innings. But Jason Adam took over in the ninth and allowed five runs, putting the game out of reach. Two of those runs scored after Dillon Maples took over for Adam with the bases loaded and no outs.
  10. The Cubs were shut out for the third time this season. All three shutouts have come at the hands of the Brewers.

On deck: The Cubs kick off a seven-game road trip Monday, starting in Atlanta. Right-hander Zach Davies is scheduled to take the mound for the Cubs and righty Charlie Morton for the Braves.

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