Cubs starter Jake Arrieta pitched brilliantly over eight innings in the first game of Friday’s double-header at Citizens Bank Park against the Phillies. The right-hander limited the Phillies to a lone run on six hits and two walks while striking out seven. Aaron Altherr accounted for the only run with a solo home run in the second inning.
With the performance, Arrieta won his major league-leading 19th game while sending his ERA below 2.00 to 1.99. He and Zack Greinke are the only two starters in baseball with an ERA below 2.00. He also carries a terrific 204/46 K/BB ratio in 199 innings.
Arrieta, 29, broke out with the Cubs last season. He was once a top prospect in the Orioles’ minor league system, but he struggled over parts of four seasons before the O’s sent him to the Cubs along with reliever Pedro Strop in exchange for starter Scott Feldman and catcher Steve Clevenger in a July 2013 trade. In 2014, Arrieta posted a 2.53 ERA over 25 starts. He’s shown, in dominating the National League this season, that last year’s performance wasn’t a fluke.