Josh Bell Breaks National League Record, Pirates Rout Cubs 12-0
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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Josh Bell broke the National League record for most home runs by a rookie switch hitter, hitting his 24th of the season off hurting Chicago ace Jake Arrieta to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Cubs 12-0 on Monday.
Bell had three hits and four RBIs, including a two-run shot off Arrieta in the first inning. Bell moved ahead of former Atlanta star Chipper Jones, who hit 23 for the Braves in 1995. Max Moroff added three hits and four RBIs for Pittsburgh, including a solo home run off Arrieta (14-9) in the third.
Arrieta was removed later in the third inning with an apparent right leg injury. The 2015 Cy Young Award winner clutched his right leg several times following a pitch to Bell. Arrieta attempted to throw a practice pitch after being visited by trainers but failed to release the ball while in obvious pain.
Chad Kuhl (7-10) allowed four hits in seven innings for the Pirates, striking out a career-high eight. Pittsburgh has won three straight.
Arrieta's second-half surge has helped shake the defending World Series champions from a funk. He came in 6-1 with a 1.59 ERA since the All-Star break, a run that stirred echoes of his brilliance two years ago when he went 13-1 after the break on his way to capturing the Cy Young.
The Cubs maintained a 3½-game NL Central lead over Milwaukee, which lost to Cincinnati.
Arrieta's run of dominance included six shutout innings in a victory over the Pirates in Chicago last week, the fourth straight start in which he surrendered one run or none.
He looked off from the first batter on Monday. Starling Marte led off with a single and scored when Bell's fly ball to right field reached the first row of seats above the Roberto Clemente Wall for a 2-0 lead.
Moroff, hitting just .160 on the season, followed with a shot over the seats in right that pushed Pittsburgh's advantage to 3-0. Arrieta struck out Andrew McCutchen but his first pitch to Bell, the next batter, sailed up and in. Arrieta gingerly walked around the mound trying to stretch his right leg. Manager Joe Maddon came out to check on Arrieta, who tried to let one go from the mound but couldn't.
The three-run lead was plenty of cushion for Kuhl, who'd lost three of his previous four starts. Kuhl retired 11 straight at one point, striking out the side in the fourth.
Cubs outfielder Leonys Martin, acquired in a trade with Seattle last week, took the mound with one out in the eighth and gave up a two-run home run to David Freese.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: SS Javy Baez was given the day off to give his sore left thumb a rest. Baez jammed the thumb while sliding into second base against Atlanta on Sunday. Baez also experienced blurred vision when his face slammed into Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies on the play, though Baez's vision had cleared by Monday. ... C Wilson Contreras (hamstring), out since Aug. 11, will attempt at minor league rehab assignment "the moment he's ready to roll," according to Maddon.
ON THE MOVE
The Pirates picked up left-handed reliever Jack Leathersich off waivers from the Cubs and sent him to Triple-A Indianapolis. The 27-year-old Leathersich appeared in one game for Chicago this season. He made 17 appearances for the New York Mets in 2015, posting a 2.31 ERA.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Kyle Hendricks (6-4, 3.32 ERA) goes for his third consecutive win on Tuesday. Hendricks, the NL ERA champion in 2016, hasn't allowed more than three runs in his eight starts since the All-Star break.
Pirates: Steven Brault (0-0, 5.93) will make his first start of the season. Brault is filling in for Ivan Nova. The Pirates are giving Nova a breather. Nova is 2-6 with a 6.38 ERA since the break.
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