Cubs 2, Giants 0
CHICAGO - Right-hander Jake Arrieta tossed 7 2/3 innings of four-hit shutout ball as the Chicago Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants 2-0 to complete a four-game series sweep on Sunday.
The sweep was the Cubs' first of the Giants at Wrigley Field since June 9-12, 1977.
Chicago (62-48) claimed its fourth straight victory and moved 3 1/2 games ahead of San Francisco in the race for a second National League wild-card playoff berth.
The Cubs also reached a season-best 14 games over .500.
Arrieta, who improved to a team-best 13-6, departed with two outs in the eighth after giving up an infield single to Giants third baseman Matt Duffy. He struck out six and walked just two.
Right-handed closer Hector Rondon survived a nervous ninth for his 19th save.
Rondon gave up a leadoff single to Giants first baseman Brandon Belt and a double to right to shortstop Brandon Crawford. Rondon then loaded the bases when he hit second baseman Ehire Adrianza with a pitch.
But Rondon struck out pinch hitter Hector Sanchez and center fielder Angel Pagan and got center fielder Gregor Blanco on a called third strike to end the game.
Giants right-hander Jake Peavy (2-5) worked five innings in his seventh start since coming off the disabled list on July 3.
The Cubs, who trailed only once the entire series, scored single runs in the first and second innings to give Arrieta the early lead.
Chicago made it four straight games with at least one first-inning run as third baseman Kris Bryant's bloop single to right scored left fielder Kyle Schwarber.
The Cubs made it 2-0 in the second when Arrieta tripled off the right-field wall with one out and scored on second baseman Addison Russell's sacrifice fly to center.
It was the second career triple for Arrieta, a lifetime .144 career batter who had his only other three hits in 2014.
Giants left fielder Nori Aoki left the game in the third inning after being was struck on the helmet by an Arrieta pitch. He walked off unaided and Pagan came in as a pinch runner and remained in the game in the outfield.
Aoki's condition was not immediately known.
Peavy had a high pitch count and departed after five innings. He allowed two runs on four hits, struck out six and walked two. Peavy had 69 strikes out of 101 pitches thrown.
NOTES: The Giants had not lost a series at Wrigley Field since 2008 until the current trip, winning four and tying three until the Cubs swept the four-game series that concluded Sunday. ... San Francisco relievers have had a rough go of late, giving up 18 runs (16 earned) in 31 2/3 innings in nine games on the road trip through Saturday. Giants relievers pitched three innings of shutout ball on Sunday, however. ... The Giants are idle Monday and open a six-game homestead on Tuesday as LHP Madison Bumgarner (12-6, 3.28 ERA) goes against Houston LHP Scott Kazmir (6-6, 2.08 ERA) on Tuesday. ... Cubs 3B Kris Bryant played in his 100th career game on Saturday with 15 home runs -- including a two-run shot on Saturday -- plus 60 RBIs. The last Cub to do so in his first 100 games was Vince Barton (16 homers, 65 RBIs in 1931-31). ... The Cubs have Monday off and continue their homestead on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series with Milwaukee. Cubs RHP Dan Haren (7-7, 3.49 ERA) makes his second start since being acquired and faces Brewers RHP Taylor Jungman (6-3, 2.26 ERA).