Jake Arrieta has been so dominant over the past year, that it’s surprising when he has an off day.
The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner had one of those Sunday, littering the bases with runners and needing 100 pitches just to get through five innings.
Thankfully, the Cubs’ bullpen came to the rescue.
Trevor Cahill, Adam Warren, Justin Grimm and Travis Wood combined for eight scoreless innings in relief of Arrieta, getting the Cubs deep into extra innings, where they won on Javier Baez’s walk-off homer in the 13th.
“His stuff was outstanding, it’s just the command of his stuff wasn’t very good today, and that’s what put us behind the 8-ball,” manager Joe Maddon said.