Cubs pounce for season-high 12 runs, rout Tigers
DETROIT -- One day after being shut out on the road for the first time this season, the Cubs scored a season-high 12 runs, led by three-run homers from Chris Coghlan and Miguel Montero, to post a 12-3 Interleague victory Wednesday over the Tigers.
The two blasts helped Jake Arrieta pick up the win. Detroit got all of its runs on a three-run homer by Yoenis Cespedes in the sixth.
"He was solid," Montero said of Arrieta. "There was one bad pitch [to Cespedes] that cost him three runs, but other than that, he threw the ball outstanding. I don't think they looked too comfortable at the plate."
Anthony Rizzo added a two-run single in a six-run seventh to help Arrieta, who struck out eight and walked one over six innings as the Cubs finished their lengthy road trip to Miami, Washington D.C. and Detroit with a 5-4 record.
Video: CHC@DET: Rizzo adds extra insurance with base hit
"We played good baseball [on the trip] and finished strongly against a really good team," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.
Shane Greene took the loss, serving up five runs over three innings, and he has given up 20 earned runs over 14 2/3 innings in his last four starts. He could get another chance at the Cubs when the two teams meet again, Aug. 18-19, at Wrigley Field.
"The most frustrating part was I felt really good," Greene said. "I felt my arm angle was a little better and everything felt really good. I just didn't get the results I wanted."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Cruise control: Arrieta faced the minimum through four innings. Ian Kinsler collected the first hit off the Cubs right-hander with a clean single to left with one out in the fourth, but he was snuffed out when Miguel Cabrera grounded into an inning-ending double play. The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the fifth on three straight singles, but Arrieta escaped the jam when he got James McCann to fly out to shallow right and then froze Jose Iglesias with a curve for a called third strike.
Video: CHC@DET: Arrieta fans eight en route to win No. 6
"The tough part," McCann said of the breaking ball, "is when it's good, it comes out of the hand looking like a fastball. So it is a tough pitch to lay off of when he's on."
On time delivery: The Cubs wasted Dexter Fowler's leadoff triple in the first, but in the second, rookie Addison Russell delivered a two-out RBI single. In the third, the Cubs had two on and one out to set up Coghlan's homer, his eighth. He's now one home run shy of tying his single-season career high of nine, which he set his rookie season in 2009 and matched last year. Chris Denorfia added an RBI single in the third.
Video: CHC@DET: Denorfia singles home the Cubs' fifth run
McCann makes diving catch: McCann already has a leaping catch against the screen to his credit this season, but he added a dive onto the track in front of the Tigers' dugout to catch Denorfia's popped-up bunt in the seventh inning.
"Thankful I was able to get there," McCann said. "I wish that it would've turned the momentum in our favor a little bit, get out of that inning, but unfortunately it didn't."
Video: CHC@DET: McCann goes a long way to haul in pop foul
Cespedes strikes again: The Tigers didn't have many highlights on a night when they hit into three double plays, but Cespedes provided a brief glimmer of hope with his second home run in three games. He's hitting 9-for-18 over his last five games, adding some strength to the cleanup spot while Victor Martinez works toward a return.
"He's always going to be aggressive," Arrieta said of Cespedes, who connected on a cutter.
Video: CHC@DET: Cespedes homers to spoil the shutout in 6th
QUOTABLE
"We accomplished a lot. It's a game-by-game situation for us. Regardless of whether we struggle or end on a high note with a victory, we're able to put [each game] behind us and come out ready to play the next day and focus on the task at hand. That's why we're able to win against good teams. They've got a potent lineup, which I was able to neutralize for the most part." -- Arrieta, on the road trip
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Rizzo's hit streak ended at 12 games on Tuesday, but the Cubs first baseman started a new one with a single in the fourth. Rizzo did draw a walk Tuesday and with his two hits Wednesday, he has reached base safely in his last 17 games, and 44 of his last 46 starting April 20.
Montero was 0-for-9, and had one hit on the road trip, a solo home run last Friday, before going 3-for-5 on Wednesday, including his seventh home run. What happened? He said he took a more aggressive approach. It worked. The Cubs had three three-run homers this season prior to the game.
Video: CHC@DET: Montero breaks game open with three-run shot
Cabrera's streak of 27 consecutive games reaching base safely ended with an 0-for-3 night. It was the longest active streak in the Majors, and his longest streak since reaching base in 32 straight games from July 20 to Aug. 29, 2013.
WHAT'S NEXT
Cubs: Tsuyoshi Wada (0-1, 4.19 ERA) will try to get back on track Thursday when the left-hander takes the mound against the Reds to open a six-game homestand at Wrigley Field. Wada is coming off a loss to the Nationals in which he gave up five runs over 3 2/3 innings. This will be his fifth start, and he's still looking for his first win. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT., and the right-field bleachers will be open to fans for the first time this season.
Tigers: Detroit is off Thursday before returning to division play with a three-game series against the Indians at Comerica Park. David Price (5-2, 2.70 ERA) will try to follow up on his complete-game win last Saturday when he takes the mound in Friday night's opener at 7:08 p.m. ET.
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