OAKLAND, Calif. — Right-hander Jake Arrieta pitched eight shutout innings and ended his three-game losing streak as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Oakland A’s 4-0 on Saturday afternoon at Oakland Coliseum.
Arrieta (13-5) allowed three hits, struck out four and walked one, winning for the first time since June 27 against Cincinnati. Arrieta, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, was 0-3 with a 4.88 ERA in his previous five starts after going 13-3 with a 2.10 ERA in his first 16.
The Cubs won their sixth straight game and improved to 68-41, the best record in baseball. They moved 27 games above .500, matching their season high, and will go for a sweep of the three-game series against Oakland on Sunday afternoon.
Ben Zobrist went 2-for-5 and drove in two runs for the Cubs. Addison Russell had two hits in four at-bats, drove in a run and scored once. Jorge Soler had an RBI double.
Oakland right-hander Sonny Gray (5-11) allowed two runs and five hits but was taken out after just five innings and 72 pitches because of what the A’s called right extensor muscle soreness. He struck out two, walked none and retired the final seven batters he faced.
The A’s fell a season-high 14 games below .500 at 48-62, losing for the seventh time in their past eight games.
The Cubs took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third when Willson Contreras and Dexter Fowler opened the inning with back-to-back singles and scored on Zobrist’s two-out single to center.
The Cubs extended their lead to 4-0 in the sixth, scoring twice against reliever Liam Hendriks. Anthony Rizzo led off with a double and scored on Russell’s single with one out. Soler doubled with two outs, bringing Russell home.
NOTES: Athletics rookie LHP Dillon Overton was optioned to Triple-A Nashville and LHP Patrick Schuster was recalled from the Sounds to take his spot on the 25-man roster. Overton is 1-3 with a 10.97 ERA in five starts for Oakland and has allowed 11 home runs in 21 1/3 innings. Schuster, a rookie, had a 15.43 ERA in four relief appearances in his first stint with the A’s. … RHP John Lackey will start for the Cubs on Tuesday at Wrigley Field when they open a two-game series against the Angels. RHP Jason Hammel, who was placed on the bereavement list Wednesday, will start in the series finale against the Angels. … Willson Contreras’ primary position is catcher, but he started in left field for the 18th time this season for the Cubs. He has started 17 games at catcher and two at first base. … The A’s have not named a starter for their game Tuesday against Baltimore, but manager Bob Melvin said RHP Zach Neal and Triple-A RHP Jharel Cotton are two options. Cotton was one of three minor league right-handers acquired from the Dodgers for RF Josh Reddick and LHP Rich Hill on Monday. Neal has been pitching out of the bullpen for Oakland. … A’s LHP Sean Doolittle (strained left shoulder) threw a bullpen session for the first time since going on the disabled list June 26. He threw 25 pitches.