Arrieta masterful as Cubs clinch tie for home field
CHICAGO -- Jake Arrieta worked seven shutout innings as the Chicago Cubs won their 98th game of the season on Friday -- the most since 1945 -- with a 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
The win helped Chicago (98-55) exceed last season's 97 wins and clinch at least a tie for home-field advantage through the National League playoffs.
The Cardinals (80-73) slipped one game behind the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets in a race for one of two NL wild card berths.
Arrieta (18-7) allowed five hits, walked one and struck out 10 before a crowd of 40,791 as the Cubs and Cardinals opened a three-game Wrigley Field weekend series.
Cardinals starter Mike Leake (9-11) lasted just 3 1/3 innings and took the loss.
Cubs reliever Pedro Strop was activated off the disabled list (left meniscus tear) on Friday and made his first appearance since Aug. 10. He allowed one base runner and struck out one in a scoreless eighth.
Anthony Rizzo went 3-for-5 with an RBI while Kris Bryant had two hits and walked once.
Arrieta struck out the side in the first and was given a big lead with four runs in Chicago's half of the inning.
Dexter Fowler walked, reached third on Bryant's single to left and scored on a Leake's wild pitch. Rizzo's 41st double of the season, aided by left fielder Kolton Wong's slip on loose turf, brought home Bryant for a 2-0 lead. Rizzo moved to third on another Leake wild pitch and scored on Ben Zobrist's base hit to right.
Jason Heyward reached after grounding into a fielder's choice and scored on Chris Coghlan's double to right to make it 4-0.
The Cubs had the bases loaded in the third with two out, but Miguel Montero struck out the end that threat.
Leake departed with one out in the fourth after giving up hits to Arrieta and Bryant. He allowed five runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out one. Reliever Dean Kiekhefer faced one batter and loaded the bases with a single to Rizzo.
Zobrist made it 5-0 in the fourth inning when he reached base on a fielder's choice and scored Arrieta.
The Cardinals managed just five hits against four Cubs pitchers.
NOTES: Cardinals LF Matt Holliday took live batting practice on Friday and may still see game action in the season's final days. Holliday has been on the disabled list since Aug. 12 with a right thumb fracture and has missed 37 games. ... After wrapping up on Sunday in Chicago, the Cardinals return home for the final seven games of the season -- four games against Cincinnati and three against Pittsburgh. ... St. Louis sends RHP Alex Reyes (3-1, 1.03 ERA) against Chicago RHP Jason Hammel (15-9, 3.56 ERA) in Saturday's middle game. ... Cubs LHP Jon Lester (18-4) is tied for the NL lead in victories and closes the series on Sunday. He is just the third Cubs pitcher since 1893 to allow two or fewer runs and two or fewer walks in each of his last 10 starts. ... The Cubs are on track for 103 victories with nine games to play after Friday's opener. ... The Cubs activated RHP Pedro Strop (left meniscus tear) off of the 15-day disabled list prior to Friday's game and he was available for action.