Lob & Kritik » thought we could be competitive. But down

CHICAGO -- In his second game with the Chicago Cubs, Jake Arrieta showed exactly why theyre putting him in the rotation for the rest of the season. The hard-throwing right-hander dominated the potent St. Louis Cardinals lineup for seven innings to lead Chicago to a 7-0 victory Friday. "Thats the kind of stuff the power arms can do when theyre throwing strikes and making pitches and you have a 91 mph cutter, slider or whatever you want to call it," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "He made some really good pitches in some key situations of counts. When you thought you might be losing good hitters, he made some key pitches on the black at 95, 96 mph." Arrieta (1-0) allowed two hits and two walks while striking out seven. After yielding an infield single to Carlos Beltran in the second, he got rookie Kolten Wong to ground into a double play. That started a streak of 13 straight outs (including five strikeouts) until Arrieta walked St. Louis starter Jake Westbrook (7-8) in the sixth. The next batter, Matt Carpenter, also walked to give the Cardinals their first threat of the game. But Jon Jay grounded into a fielders choice and Matt Holiday struck out looking to end the inning. In his only other start with Chicago, Arrieta allowed one run and two hits in six innings July 30 against Milwaukee. Hes thrown 13 innings in a Cubs uniform and allowed one run. Thats a far cry from the struggling pitcher who went 1-2 with a 7.23 ERA for Baltimore this season before he was traded to the Cubs on July 2. So which one is the real Jake Arrieta? The struggling power arm or the dominant pitcher he was on Friday? "Thats what Im capable of," Arrieta said. "Its just a matter commanding the ball and limiting my walks. Thats really whats gotten me in the past was too many free passes, letting guys get away when Im in favourable counts and pretty much keeping my foot on the gas and staying on the attack. "Ive made a conscious effort to get better at certain things and its starting to show." The Cubs got Arrieta all the runs he needed in the first inning. After Westbrook walked the bases loaded, cleanup batter Nate Schierholtz hit a two-run single to centre. Donnie Murphy added a two-out RBI single to make it 3-0. Chicago had been shut out in four of its past five home games. "We got some big hits. I think the biggest was Nates," Sveum said. "Weve had chances like that this year when we couldnt come away with one (run) and to come away with the big hit there and then Murphys two-out hit ... to get three runs on the board there was key in that game." The 27-year-old Arrieta should be entering the prime of his career, but hes still trying to establish himself in the majors. He thinks the trade to the Cubs has given him a fresh start free of his struggles of the past. "For me, theres no question that this change of scenery and this trade was huge for me in my career -- not only for me, but for the Cubs as well," he said. "I couldnt be more excited to be here and Im thankful to the front office for wanting me and bringing me into this organization." The Cubs snapped a four-game losing streak and are 7-7 this season against the Cardinals, who began the day trailing first-place Pittsburgh by two games in the NL Central. Westbrook finished with five walks but managed to grind through 6 2-3 innings to save the bullpen. He allowed seven runs -- six earned -- and eight hits with two strikeouts. "I was pretty much all over the place and the walks hurt you, especially when theyre in a row with no outs," Westbrook said. "It wasnt very good. Its always frustrating when you dont give your team a chance to win and do your job, which I havent been able to do the last couple outings." Since coming off the disabled list June 14, Westbrook is 5-7 with a 5.86 ERA. After the loss, he said his arm feels fine. Asked if Westbrook is certain to make his next start, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny was non-committal. "Well see how he feels tomorrow," Matheny said "Thats not what any of us were looking for," he added. "Talked about it before: Sometimes he just has trouble finding the release point for his sinker and he couldnt find it today until it was too late." NOTES: Wong started at 2B and went 0 for 3 in his major league debut. His arrival relegated 3B David Freese, the 2011 World Series MVP, to the bench. All-Star leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter moved from second base to third. "I would say its a day-by-day situation," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said. "Im not saying (Wong) has to play every day. There are going to be times when we want to get David back in the lineup, so I imagine theres going to be some split playing opportunities." ... Cubs RHP Matt Guerrier was scheduled to have surgery on the flexor mass (near his elbow and forearm) of his throwing arm Friday. The surgery, performed by Dr. Timothy Kremchek, is expected to sideline Guerrier six to eight months. ... Joe Kelly (3-3) faces Cubs LHP Travis Wood (7-9) in the second game of the series Saturday. Terance Mann Clippers Jersey . The parade and rally were held to celebrate the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday in the CFLs championship game. Tobias Harris Jersey . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. https://www.clipperslockerroom.com/Avery-Bradley-City-Edition-Jersey/ . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Maurice Harkless Clippers Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Angel Delgado Jersey . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. In show business, its how you leave em that counts -- laughing, crying, wanting even more. Last Saturdays Day 2 of the Breeders Cup provided all that and then some.Brilliant races from Arrogate, California Chrome, Highland Reel, and Tourist marked the day, while Peter Eurton, Phil DAmato, Seamus Heffernan, and Flavien Prat joined the company of Breeders Cup winners.Even the fans, 72,811 strong, got into the act by the end of the long, dramatic afternoon, although with varying effects. As the soft twilight settled and the dying sun glowed in the distance, those heading for the exits near the walking ring were greeted by a woman wearing a red dress and a broad grin proudly waggling a homemade banner that read, Hillary for Prison.Times change. In 1996, signs at the Cup shouted Cigar for President. In 2009, it was Girl Power! Go Zenyatta! When someone suggested that perhaps this of all places on this of all days might be considered temporary sanctuary from the all-too-real concerns of the election, the woman declared her First Amendment rights, which apparently include freedom from good taste.A more poignant endnote played out a short time later at the west end of the paddock gardens. The tableau included a stretch limousine, a befuddled chauffeur, a solicitous security guard, and a woman clearly over her prescribed alcoholic intake. The guard was gently urging her into the limo, but she resisted, shouting, Im being arrested! Im being arrested! I wanted California Chrome to win!Ah, well, so did a whole lot of other people, for whom the $6 million Breeders Cup Classic was a more sobering moment. Heroes die hard -- Tepin, Found, and Lady Eli also bit the dust in valiant efforts -- and California Chrome went down with a ferocious fight, stretching Arrogate to be every inch of the colt he was in his breathtaking Travers last August.The margin was half a length at the end of the Classics 1-1/4 miles, with the first two nearly 11 lengths afield of the third horse (Keen Ice). But whether it was the 3-year-olds fresher legs that made the difference or a ride of wary calculation from Victor Espinoza, the verdict remains: The 2016 season may have been wall to wall California Chrome, but the Breeders Cup belonged to Arrogate.Thats a relief, Bob Baffert said earlier in the day, after the 3-year-old Drefong defeated the favored Masochistic in the $2 million Breeders Cup Sprint. You want to make sure you dont get that doughnut.To that point, Baffert had run only four horses, but Dortmund and American Gal had been favored, and Bafferts main chance in the Sprint, Lord Nelson, had been scratched. Drefong, a son of champion grass horse Gio Ponti, gave Baffert his fifth Sprint title dating to the 1992 running with Thirty Slews.When he won the Breeders Cup Sprint, I thought that day at Gulfstream Park I had reached the pinnacle of my career, Baffert said. That was it. I never had that feeling again until I won a Kentucky Derby.Baffert had to wait just five years for that -- when Silver Charm won at Churchill Downs in 1997-- but it was 22 years, a new family, a heart attack, and nine more Breeders Cup titles before the trainer scored his first win in the Classic.ddddddddddddBayern was the horse who couldnt break straight but could run very fast - fast enough to hold off the British colt Toast of New York and the 3-year-old version of California Chrome in 2014. Baffert rolled to his second straight Classic win last year with American Pharoah, while California Chrome was chilling at Taylor Made Farm ? and 2-year-old Arrogate was nothing more than a gleam in Bafferts eye.The son of Unbridleds Song clearly was designed by the same people who dreamed up the AT-ATs from The Empire Strikes Back. Time was required before his long legs and powerful torso struck a workable balance. It was April before Baffert dared unleash Arrogate -- the result was a promising third -- after which he worked his way through his conditions.When Arrogate won the Travers by 13-1/2 lengths in his stakes debut, the 3-year-old picture was turned on its head. Preakness winner Exaggerator and Belmont winner Creator were among the humbled that day, while Derby winner Nyquist was a no-show.By the time the Breeders Cup came around, all three had been retired. That makes Arrogate the latest in a select line of late-blooming 3-year-olds -- including Kelso, Wajima, and Tiznow -- who ended up champions of their generation without touching a Triple Crown event.Arrogate is a fast-track version of the imposing Tiznow, with fewer starts and a limitless trajectory. Baffert had been convinced that his colt could climb buildings and swat biplanes, but even he had lingering doubts about the Classic.Going in, we knew we had a great horse, Baffert said. We thought we could be competitive. But down deep, I really wasnt sure if we could beat California Chrome because I still have total respect for the horse. Hes a great horse.Unfortunately, the great horse did not get a comparable ride. At least that was the concession of Espinoza, whose work this year aboard California Chrome had been flawless. This time around, instead of cutting Chrome loose around the turn and into the stretch, he allowed the champ to idle briefly while looking for the oncoming Arrogate and Mike Smith.I could have maybe let him run sooner, opened up more, Espinoza said.Still, California Chrome took Arrogate deep, and Arrogate was best in only the final yards. Back at the barn, in the corner of the Santa Anita stables, California Chrome returned to an outpouring of affection from friends and family.Its not your fault, said assistant trainer Alan Sherman, giving the chestnut an affectionate pat.Look at him, said trainer Art Sherman, Alans dad. Just ran maybe the best race of his life, and hes recovered already. What a horse.And what a horse race. How could anyone ask for more? ' ' '