Dodgers surge late, Cubs lose Jake Arrieta start for first time since July 2015

The Chicago Cubs lost a game that Jake Arrieta started for the first time since July 2015, as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied in the eighth inning against the Cubs bullpen for a 5-0 victory Tuesday night at Wrigley Field.

The loss snapped a streak of 23 consecutive games the Cubs won when Arrieta started, dating to a July 25, 2015 start at Wrigley when a no-hitter by Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels bested Arrieta.

His 23-start run without the Cubs losing equaled the best run since 1913, established by Atlanta’s Kris Medlen from 2010-2012.

Dodgers lefty Scott Kazmir matched zeroes with Arrieta, pitching six scoreless innings and giving up just one hit. Relievers Joe Blanton and Adam Liberatore combined to add three hitless frames.

“You play this game long enough and you’re going to lose a game here and there,” Arrieta said. “It was a good streak and we’ll get started on something else.”

Arrieta, who pitched seven shutout innings Tuesday, retains his streak of 20 consecutive decisions without a loss; the major league record is 24, set by the New York Giants’ Carl Hubbell from 1936-37.

“It takes a no-hitter and a one-hitter to beat Jake over the course of time,” said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. “It’s unfortunate.”

Since Aug. 1, 2015, Arrieta remains 20-0, with a  0.94 ERA.

Adrian Gonzalez’s RBI single off Clayton Richard drove home the go-ahead run for Los Angeles.

“I was just looking for a ball up that I could get into the air and it just happened to be the first pitch,” Gonzalez said.

Corey Seager's three-run homer in the ninth put the game well out of reach.

“Jake is obviously one of the best pitchers in baseball and for Kaz to rise to the occasion and be the veteran that he is and top-of-the-rotation guy and he gave us a huge outing,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He matched Jake pitch for pitch and we just followed his lead.”

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.