Chicago Cubs News: Cubbies complete sweep of Brewers, head out West

On the day Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer made several roster moves, the Chicago Cubs completed another sweep. Following veteran southpaw Jon Lester‘s gem, it was time for Jake Arrieta to shine.

While Chicago’s offense backed him up with a handful of runs, Jake didn’t seem like himself on the mound. Arrieta was charged with five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of work despite picking up his 15th win of the season.

It wasn’t like the Milwaukee Brewers were tagging him left and right, he just couldn’t find the strike zone. Arrieta issued a whopping seven walks and managed to strike out three batters — a stat that is usually flipped.

On the other side of the diamond, you have Zach Davies. Davies, unlike Arrieta, was getting tossed around by offensive production while on the mound for Craig Counsell.

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Granted he was pitching against the best team in baseball. The Cubs lit him up for seven earned runs on 10 hits, one walk, and four strikeouts in four innings of work.

One man emerged as yesterday’s player of the game, that man is none other than third baseman Kris Bryant. Bryant, last year’s Rookie of the Year, finished the afternoon 5-for-5 with two home runs, five RBI, and four runs scored.

Joe Maddon‘s slugger connected on a two-run homer during the home half of the third inning, putting the Chicago Cubs ahead 4-0. Just an inning later, he recorded his 29th double to score Matt Szczur for a second time.

Three men doubled with two outs that inning — Szczur, Bryant, then first baseman Anthony Rizzo who has 36 doubles on the season. Bryant’s two home runs tied him with Colorado Rockies third baseman, Nolan Arenado for the National League lead with 30.

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Both men will square off in a three-game weekend series starting, later on, tonight. First pitch for that contest is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. central time.

Arenado has been the man for Colorado since arriving in 2013. Over the course of a combined 1,993 at-bats, the 25-year-old has launched 100 home runs, 340 RBI, and 559 hits. Chicago’s pitching staff has to be careful pitching to him or else he’ll make them pay without hesitation.

Let’s hope Kyle Hendricks and the bullpen can manage to keep him quiet to begin the weekend set in the Mile High City.