April 23, 2016 ESPNChicago.com Cubs' starting staff at the top of baseball By Jesse Rogers CINCINNATI -- Chicago Cubs left-hander Jon Lester admitted it was on his mind. What if he could throw a second consecutive no-hitter for the Cubs? It seemed crazy, but so did a 13-4 start for the team known as "lovable losers." The Cubs keep proving they’re anything but losers as they beat the Reds for the fifth time this season Friday night, 8-1, behind Lester’s seven strong innings. “We’re all human,” Lester said after the game. “We all think about it. The possibilities of 'what if?' Joey Votto erased that pretty quickly.” In the first inning, Votto half-swung and sent a ball near the third-base line for a hit. The no-hitter was over early, but Lester’s night was just beginning. He threw 100 pitches over seven innings, giving up just five hits, a home run ball and one walk. He struck out four. “That was the best fastball he’s had all year,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. Lester may not be Arrieta-good right now, but he is off to a fast start, sporting a 1.98 ERA as the first month nears an end. In fact, other than Arrieta, the entire Cubs starting staff is kind of flying under the radar, especially when you consider the offensive numbers being produced. “We’ve been consistent,” Lester said. “That’s the best thing to see.” In 16 of 17 games this season, Cubs starters have gone at least six innings, and they’ve easily made it through five in all 17 starts. So it can’t come as a surprise to learn they lead all of baseball with a 2.13 ERA after Lester’s one-run performance on Friday. “It says we’re throwing the ball pretty well,” Lester said. “For us to save our bullpen, when we need them, hopefully we’ll see the rewards of that down the line.” Lester would like to see one other thing happen: the starting five average 200 innings each for the season. “I’ve never been part of a staff that has 1,000 innings before,” he said. “I’d like to see that and be a part of that. I think we have five guys that can push the envelope and do that.” They may have the ability, but will Maddon allow them to reach that figure? As the starters show some fatigue later in the year, he’ll use his bullpen more, potentially taking innings away from that goal of 1,000. But here’s the thing: The starters have thrown very few stressful pitches so far. The Cubs have one one-run victory and two two-run wins. That’s it. These are easy innings right now because the offense is mostly clicking on all cylinders. “The pitching has been there every night,” Maddon said. And those pitchers have been there at the plate as well, as seemingly every starter is contributing with the bat. On Friday, Lester lined a ball hard to left field for an out but then came back with a squeeze bunt to score a run in the fourth.

“Finally got one to work for me,” Lester said. “Missed a couple last year. "You have to make sure you watch what the infielders are doing, and what side of the field to bunt it to.” Lester said there’s no joy in getting the sign for a safety squeeze, but he was successful nonetheless. “Jonny Lester’s was perfect,” Maddon said of the bunt. Maddon could have been talking about Lester’s game overall. He had one tough inning, but that was nearly erased by a triple play -- they got two outs out of it -- and then Lester got the next batter to end the threat. It’s what the starting staff has been doing since day one. Not that there have been all that many threats. They’ve been that good. “We knew coming in we had a good staff,” Lester said. “I think that’s going to be the backbone of this team.” -- ESPNChicago.com Javier Baez latest Cub to shine in win over Reds By Jesse Rogers CINCINNATI -- As if the Chicago Cubs weren’t rolling along with just their regulars providing the damage this season, they got a big contribution from one of their role players in their second straight win over the Cincinnati Reds, 8-1, on Friday night. Super-utility guy Javier Baez had an eventful game, with two hits, including a home run, three runs scored, a stolen base, a near start of a triple play and an awkward slide into home. And he played a flawless third base, starting his first game there this year. If Baez can be a contributor when manager Joe Maddon wants to rest his starters, it will go a long way to keeping his team fresh. Baez can play every infield position and has worked in the outfield since the winter playing both left and center. He has started at second, shortstop and third base since just last weekend. Baez had help on Friday as the Cubs followed up Jake Arrieta’s no-hitter with a pull-away victory, adding four runs in the ninth inning -- one coming on Baez’ first home run of the season and back-to-back-to-back doubles plated three more. Anthony Rizzo’s sixth home run earlier in the game also helped, but it’s a tougher night overall if not for contributions from Baez, the Cubs' first-round draft pick in 2011. -- ESPNChicago.com How the Cubs celebrated Jake Arrieta's no-hitter By Jesse Rogers CINCINNATI -- So how did the Chicago Cubs celebrate Jake Arrieta's latest no-hitter? Pizza and beer. Later that night after Thursday’s 16-0 win, players got together in outfielder Dexter Fowler's suite at the team hotel to reminisce about what happened hours earlier: Their margin of victory was the largest in a no-hitter win since 1884. “Hanging out with the boys like that are some of the most enjoyable moments of my career,” the man of the hour Arrieta said Friday. “The times that really create those bonds are the experiences we have off the field. Every moment of those are cherished.”

Players ordered pizza, watched some basketball -- and presumably the highlights from their big win. The one person not in the room enjoyed hearing about the moment more than anyone. “That doesn’t happen everywhere,” manager Joe Maddon said. “I was told everybody was there. Maybe that doesn’t sound like a whole lot to people but that’s a pretty big deal. That every guy was on-board to show up to support Jake last night after the game. It speaks to the group. Loved it.” So what did they talk about in between the pizza and beer? “We told stories about what everyone was thinking (during the no-hitter),” David Ross said. “And how nervous we were. It was fun to hear everyone talk about it.” Last August, the joke was on reliever Justin Grimm, who didn’t know Arrieta had thrown a no-hitter even as he ran out to greet him on the mound. This time Grimm was locked in. “That last inning I was biting my nails for him,” Grimm said. “(Bullpen coach) Lester (Strode) and I were going to bet if I was going to get in the game. I said ‘no way.’ I wish I took that bet.” Incidentally, it was Grimm who was in the bullpen as Arrieta warmed up before the game. He concurred, Arrieta didn’t look pretty. The Cy Young winner took those bullpen struggles to the mound with him and didn’t really right himself until the fifth inning. Then, he put it on cruise control. “I threw the no-hitter but everyone helped,” Arrieta said. He and his teammates needed a little help at the end of the game as they mobbed each other. One lone white shirt stood out as a Cubs fan from the stands ran onto the field to congratulate Arrieta. For a moment, he reached his target. “He was high-fiving away,” pitching coach Chris Bosio recalled. “Just joining the party. That’s all. The only thing missing was a shot and a beer.” Some Cubs had a kick out of him joining the celebration while others were a little less amused. Arrieta later noticed the fan came in pretty quick from right field even beating Jason Heyward to the celebration. “As the kid was running in, he passed him,” Arrieta laughed. “I don’t know if a ton of security was anticipating something like that, but next time hopefully that won’t happen. ... It will make for good pictures. “If we had to take care of him, we would have. He seemed harmless.” It’s just another memory in a memorable night. A bad bullpen session, a sloppy first half of the game, a huge night at the plate for the offense and a crazy Cubs fan joining in on the fun when it was over. That’s why the players got together in Fowler’s room. To remember it all. “There’s good groups but maybe not one as tightly knit that like each other as much as this one does,” Maddon said. “There are no outliers. They’re all one.” Grimm had the final word but missed the irony in what he said, considering he never realized what he was seeing the first time around. “Second time to watch, that was awesome,” he smiled. We can just assume, at that moment, he took a big bite out of his slice of pizza. -- ESPNChicago.com

Jake Arrieta, Cubs finding a new normal By Jesse Rogers CINCINNATI -- This one felt different. Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta threw his second no-hitter since August on Thursday night, beating the Cincinnati Reds 16-0. But seemingly it came with less fanfare than his first one, when he shut out the Los Angeles Dodgers. Maybe it’s because Arrieta admittedly had less than his best stuff on Thursday, or maybe because the opponent was less than marquee. Or perhaps it was because no-hitter No. 1 came on Sunday Night Baseball, with Cy Young candidates Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw watching from the other dugout. Or maybe it was just where he threw them. Hollywood and Cincinnati will never be confused for each other. Or maybe the difference in the feel after the game stems from knowing this is now the new normal for the Cubs and their ace. Walking into the locker room after the 16-0 win, you wouldn’t know it was the largest margin of victory in a no-hitter since 1884. “That’s Jake,” Dexter Fowler said several times. “We expect this.” And baseball is expecting a lot from the Cubs, who keep delivering over the first month of the season. The moment there are some whispers about low batting averages and a slump at the plate, they break out for 18 hits. Don’t tell Kris Bryant he’s struggling. Instead of taking batting practice on a rain-soaked field before the game, Bryant took it a few hours later when he hit two home runs and drove in six. “Batting practice is overrated,” Bryant said. The Cubs have found their style. They’ve adopted manager Joe Maddon’s less-is-more philosophy while truly playing relaxed baseball, knowing the guy next to them will pick up the slack when needed. When John Lackey struggles a bit in his first two starts as a Cub, the team puts up a combined 23 runs for him. When they come back down to earth in his third outing, he shuts out the St. Louis Cardinals. “The guys are playing for each other,” Maddon said recently and many other times. “I don’t care if we’re hitting or not, they’re giving great at-bats.” Back to the locker room scene. At Dodger Stadium, it felt like New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July, combined, after Arrieta’s first no-hitter. On Thursday, “they had their party on” after the game, as one Cub put it, but things subsided quickly. Arrieta was less emotional the second time around -- his catcher, David Ross, made up for that, of course. It feels like this could be the Cubs moving forward. Sort of acting as if they’ve been there before. In Arrieta’s case, he had. Not that no-hitters will ever feel normal, but whenever Arrieta is on the mound there’s an expectation he’ll do something special. Same goes for the team this season. These days it’s more surprising when Arrieta gets hit than when he doesn’t. And it’s more surprising when the Cubs lose a game, let alone a series. If a major slump in the standings is coming, it’s going to be hard to predict for this team. Can that many facets slump at once? Maybe for a few games, but with Arrieta available every five days the end of a slump -- and the possibility of another special moment -- is just around the corner. Many asked after his first no-hitter how long it would take until he threw another. The same question still applies. When will Arrieta and the Cubs do something special again? Soon is probably the best answer. It’s their new reality. --

ESPNChicago.com Jake Arrieta's numbers are out of this world By Jayson Stark It was one more evening of no-hit magic for the amazing Jake Arrieta. So of course the world bolted to attention. It’s supposed to. But there’s more to why we should really be paying attention. With this guy, it’s not about one night anymore. It’s about many nights. It’s not about one game of ridiculous domination. It’s about all the domination he’s now strung together, game after game after game. And all we have to do to comprehend his greatness is just compare him to the rest of the planet -- or the rest of the pitchers on this planet anyway. And when you do that, you realize something. There’s Jake Arrieta, and then there’s everybody else. And I’ve got the tidbits to prove it. First off, a reminder of how hard it is to do what Arrieta just did. Both incumbent Cy Young Award winners pitched Thursday night. One of them (Dallas Keuchel) gave up 13 hits. The other gave up zero hits. First night in history where both defending Cy Young winners pitched and one allowed double-digit hits while the other forgot to allow any hits. One more note along those lines: Five Cy Young winners pitched Thursday. Keuchel, David Price, Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw combined to give up 39 hits. And Arrieta gave up none. But now let’s start turning back the clock. An awesome nugget from ESPN Stats & Information: Since Aug. 30, Arrieta has almost as many no-hitters (two) as regular-season starts in which he actually gave up a run (three). Seriously. OK, let’s keep going. Since Aug. 20, this man has made 13 starts and allowed a total of five earned runs. We found 322 starters who had allowed that many runs in ONE start since then. But the wayback machine keeps on traveling. Let’s go back to the start of August. Arrieta has made 16 regular-season starts since then, pitched 119 1/3 innings and allowed seven earned runs. Stats & Info found eight pitchers who also have allowed seven earned runs since then -- in ONE INNING. And 26 teams have given up at least seven in an inning since August. While Arrieta has been giving up seven in basically half a season. That’s nuts. Know what the OPS is of the hitters who have had to face him in those 16 starts? How about .373. Know what Arrieta’s OPS as a hitter is in the same period of time? That would be .649. Seriously. But now let’s get into the real fun. Here’s Arrieta since June 21: He’s ripped off 24 consecutive quality starts, gone 20-1 with a 0.86 ERA and that’s not even the best part. He’s given up a mere 17 earned runs in those 24 starts. That’s 53 fewer than Chris Archer, who almost won the AL Cy Young last year. That’s 60 fewer than Jeff Samardzija, who was once considered the ace of Arrieta’s own team. Among pitchers who have thrown at least 140 innings, only two are even within 20 earned runs of this dude -- Kershaw (26 ER) and Zack Greinke (36 ER). Wow. Or how ‘bout this: In 178 regular-season innings since then, Arrieta has given up just 91 hits. That’s 45 fewer than Cole Hamels (the only pitcher to beat Arrieta since June 21 -- by throwing a no-hitter of his own). It’s 50 fewer than John Lackey (who is fourth among all pitchers in ERA since then). And it’s 60 fewer than Johnny Cueto (who signed a six-year, $130-million contract in the middle of that stretch). Crazy. And finally, there’s this: We regard Bob Gibson’s storied 1968 season -- the year he finished with a 1.12 ERA -- as the greatest by any starter in the live ball era, right? And with good reason. But guess what? Gibson never had ANY stretch of 24 starts within that season where his ERA was as low as Jake Arrieta’s 0.86 ERA over his past 24 starts. (The best Gibson could do: 0.90, from May 1, 1968 through Aug. 28, 1968). Sooooo ... get the idea? Not only has no active pitcher ever had a stretch like this, but even Gibson -- at his greatest -- never had a stretch like this. Now that, friends, is what we call magic.

-- CSNChicago.com How the Jake Arrieta trade came together and became a blockbuster deal for Cubs By Patrick Mooney Sure, the Cubs had done their background checks and recognized the raw potential, but they never thought they would have a Jake Arrieta Pilates Room in a state-of-the-art Wrigley Field clubhouse. “Exactly,” general manager Jed Hoyer said with a laugh over the phone on Friday afternoon. “This incredible focus, incredible dedication, he’s a joy to be around. We had good reports, but he’s exceeded everything.” The night before at Great American Ball Park, Arrieta had thrown the 15th no-hitter in franchise history, less than eight months after he had thrown the 14th no-hitter in franchise history. But where that Dodger Stadium performance felt like Arrieta’s burst onto the national scene – complete with a mustache-covered onesie – Thursday’s 16-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds simply played like Jake Being Jake. And while last August this felt like a young group that might wilt down the stretch or fold under pressure or whatever 1908-inspired cliché you want to use, the 2016 Cubs are a swaggering uber-team with a plus-60 run differential that suggests their best-in-baseball record should be 14-2 instead of 12-4. The stunning transformation doesn’t happen without Arrieta, making July 2, 2013 a pivotal date for the Theo Epstein administration. That’s when the Cubs packaged rental pitcher Scott Feldman and reserve catcher Steve Clevenger in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles for setup guy Pedro Strop, some bonus-pool money for international signings and a Triple-A Norfolk pitcher. “We had scouted Jake extensively,” Hoyer said. “We had done a lot of makeup work on him. We did the same thing on Strop. At that time, we just needed to get power arms onto our team. “Arrieta’s a perfect change-of-scenery guy. Strop had a really good year in 2012 during their playoff run – and he was scuffling – so it seemed like a good guy to take a chance on. “But, yeah, when you make a deal like that, you’re hoping this guy becomes a regular contributor. Hopefully, he can hold down a rotation spot and really help us. You’re certainly not thinking a guy’s going to win 17 straight starts. “What he’s done is obviously exceptional.” The Cubs have a solid working relationship with Arrieta’s agent, Scott Boras, who also represents the left side of the infield for both of those no-hitters – shortstop Addison Russell and third baseman Kris Bryant. The Cubs also relied on special assistant Kyle Evans, who had pitched in the Cleveland Indians farm system with Jeremy Guthrie, who played with Arrieta in Baltimore, vouched for his character and gave some insight into the situation with the Orioles. As much as the Cubs believed Arrieta would be a good person to bet on, Hoyer still admitted “that’s probably the area that we were the most off.” “We loved his talent,” Hoyer said. “We knew we had to harness it. But with the makeup part, while we had very good reports, he’s actually been exceptional. That’s probably the area where we had no idea he was this great a competitor, this great a teammate, this dedicated to his craft. “Some of those things have maybe improved since he’s been with us. But certainly we had no idea he was going to be this kind of person and player for the Cubs.”

The Cubs still have the strong pitching infrastructure that allowed them to rebuild Feldman’s value on a one-year, $6 million contract and sell high after 15 starts (7-6, 3.46 ERA). Beyond allowing Arrieta to simply be himself and forget about Baltimore’s cookie-cutter approach to mechanics, the game-planning system helped create a Cy Young Award winner. Working with coaches Chris Bosio, Mike Borzello and Lester Strode, Arrieta is now 40-13 with a 2.17 ERA through 71 starts in a Cubs uniform…after putting up a 5.46 ERA in almost 360 innings for the Orioles. “He just has more poise, maturity as a pitcher,” said second baseman Ben Zobrist, who faced Arrieta in the American League East while playing for Joe Maddon’s Tampa Bay Rays. “You could see back then that he had a lot of talent, but it was raw when I first saw him in Baltimore. You can see he’s much more of a polished product now. “He’s got pretty good self-awareness on the mound of what he’s trying to do. Back then he struggled with throwing strikes. He struggled with controlling stuff. “His stuff was always good. When he kept it in the zone, he was tough to hit. But he had a tough time keeping it in the zone. Now he’s throwing a lot more strikes and he knows himself better. He’s obviously figured it out.” But the Cubs were in a position to allow Arrieta to figure it out, waiting for their competitive window to open while the Orioles were coming off a 93-win season in 2012 and would win 96 games in 2014. As much as the franchise’s financial restrictions influenced The Plan, the Cubs also benefitted from not going halfway in this rebuild. “We had been talking to Baltimore for a few weeks actually about that deal,” Hoyer said. “They needed starting pitching and they wanted to move. We had the advantage of being really one of the few teams that was willing to do it. “There are always a lot of teams that are sellers, but a lot of times those sellers don’t want to wave that white flag that early in the summer.” “We were,” Hoyer said with another laugh. “That was an advantage for us – that we didn’t have a lot of competition from other sellers at that moment in time.” The Cubs could also “jump the market” because Buck Showalter – who has an outsized influence over player personnel for a modern manager – had known Feldman from their time together in the Texas Rangers organization and wanted immediate help for the Orioles rotation. Leaving Baltimore would help turn Arrieta into arguably the best pitcher on the planet. “He deserves it,” said Anthony Rizzo, the first baseman during both of Arrieta’s no-hitters. “He deserves everything he gets, because he works for it. He pushes me. He pushes other guys to work harder and get better and challenge ourselves.” -- CSNChicago.com Jake Arrieta is shutting down the competition as a model, too By Tony Andracki Jake Arrieta has transformed into one of the most popular players in baseball. The Cubs ace isn't exactly an overnight star - his rise to prominence really began two years ago with all his near no-hitters, but his image has soared over the last nine months or so. Following a breakout 2015 campaign, Arrieta took home the National League Cy Young Award and is now one of the most marketable guys in the game.

That's led to two different modeling opportunities for Arrieta announced this week. First, Arrieta as an underwear model. And then, the day he threw his second career no-hitter, Arrieta was announced as a spokesperson for Mizzen+Main. He appears in a two-minute promotional video for the clothing company looking all dapper in a nice suit and talking about his love of his beard, teammates and family (in no particular order). Arrieta also knocked the crap out of a piñata with a baseball and later with a bat, yet no candy fell out. Mizzen and Main couldn't even fill it with some Chiclets for Jake? Man, that's cold. -- Chicago Tribune Inside look at Jake Arrieta trade that brought Cubs more than they hoped By Paul Sullivan It was a day that will live forever in Cubs history, though no one had any clue at the time. The Cubs, on a West Coast trip to Oakland, Calif., in the summer of 2013, finally dumped wild closer Carlos Marmol on the Dodgers on July 2, setting off mini-celebrations back home. But they also made another move that day that didn't move the needle. In a deal that was greeted with shrugs, they sent starter Scott Feldman and backup catcher Steve Clevenger to the Orioles in a multiplayer trade that brought two struggling pitchers, Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop. Arrieta, then 27, was supposed to be the key, but the Cubs immediately sent him to Triple-A Iowa. So they really were left with one middle reliever for their second-best starter, and no one seemed all that happy. "I don't think this team improves by trading Scott Feldman," starter Jeff Samardzija said that night, echoing the thoughts of some of his teammates. Who knew? Less than three years later, Arrieta has thrown two no-hitters in a span of 11 regular-season starts and has gone 20-1 with an 0.86 earned-run average over a mind-numbing 24-start stretch that has established him as one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. The Orioles deal now looks like the most lopsided Cubs trade since Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio in 1964, only this time the Cubs are the ones laughing. All along the Cubs knew Arrieta someday would channel his inner Bob Gibson, right? "Of course not," President Theo Epstein said. "He obviously had top-of-the-rotation potential, but we weren't sure whether he would even command enough to be a starter or would have to go the pen. "We sent him to Iowa to go back to what felt most natural to him and he punched out nine (strikeouts) over six innings in his third start with dominant stuff. I watched that game on the Internet and he had wipeout stuff. "We started to get excited about him and looked forward to seeing what he could do with (pitching coach Chris Bosio) and our pitching infrastructure the last couple of months of the season in the big leagues."

Before the deal, Arrieta and Orioles pitching coach Rick Adair weren't on the same page. The Orioles were trying to get him to throw directly on line to the plate instead of his favored crossfire delivery. Their way felt uncomfortable to Arrieta. "I knew I got (to the majors) for a reason," Arrieta told Sports Illustrated during spring training, "and I was confused about why I was changing that. You feel everybody has your own best interests in mind, but you come to find out that's not necessarily the case." Cubs scouts Jake Ciarrachi, Brad Kullman and Billy Swoope all had watched Arrieta throw during the first three months of 2013, and their reports were all in agreement. "They did a great job recognizing the potential he still had," Epstein said. Ciarrachi was adamant that Arrieta could thrive with a change of scenery and a few mechanical changes under Bosio. Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer listened, then worked to make the deal. Feldman had been part of the sign-and-flip strategy that began under Epstein in 2012, but he had made only 15 starts for the Cubs. The Orioles desperately needed another starter, and Feldman was giving the Cubs innings. So instead of waiting for the July 31 trade deadline to creep closer and create more interest in Feldman, the Cubs decided to act quickly, pulling the trigger in early July. Why not wait and see if they could start a bidding war over Feldman? "We also were looking to trade (Matt) Garza and didn't want Feldman to cloud Garza's market and vice versa," Epstein said. "We wanted to move quickly on Feldman while he was throwing well." The deal was consummated in the early afternoon, and Arrieta was in the Cubs organization, albeit at Iowa. Samardzija, the team's ace and one of its leaders, sharply criticized the move, believing the Cubs were still in contention despite a 35-46 record. He called Feldman "a solid dude" and wondered why he had to go. "It's a shame to see him go, and the same with Clevenger, a great dude to have around, a great teammate who played the game hard and played the right way," Samardzija said. "It's unfortunate. Just hope the guys they get in return are comparable and bring the same attitude to the field every day that those guys brought." Epstein said he didn't care about Samardzija's critique, knowing he was a competitor who wanted to win now. "That was a natural reaction for someone losing a teammate who was pitching well," he said. "Especially when all he knew about Jake was his unimpressive stat line." Arrieta reported to Iowa to work with pitching coach Mike Mason and return to the delivery that felt natural to him. He came up on July 30 for a spot start at Wrigley Field, giving up one run on two hits over six innings in the second game of a doubleheader against the Brewers. Arrieta was sent down afterward and wasn't recalled until Aug. 16 after going 2-2 with a 3.56 ERA in seven starts. In his first start back, Arrieta threw seven shutout innings against the Cardinals. He finished 4-2 with a 3.66 ERA for the Cubs, and manager Dale Sveum penciled him in as the No. 4 starter for 2014. "A change of scenery is the biggest thing to start with, and being surrounded by quality human beings from day one at Triple-A Iowa," Arrieta said of his improvement. "I worked with Mason. That was huge, and then the transition to Chris Bosio and the staff here. It has been great and I've been able to continue to take steps forward." The time in Iowa also allowed the Cubs to keep Arrieta under their control through 2017 instead of 2016 because of service-time ramifications, which seemed minor at the time but looms large now. He is certain to hit it big in free agency if the Cubs can't extend him before he gets there.

Sveum was fired after the '13 season, and after starting 2014 on the disabled list, Arrieta blossomed in the second half. When the Cubs signed free agent Jon Lester that offseason, I wrote they may have two Cy Young Award candidates, a statement that seemed a bit far out at the time. But Arrieta won the Cy despite not even being chosen to the National League All-Star team, and he pitched the Cubs into the National League Division Series with a wild-card victory over the Pirates. Arrieta's commitment to being in the best physical shape possible, in addition to his improved command and self-confidence, have combined to make him one of the best stories in baseball. Just a couple of weeks ago, when the Cubs showed off their new clubhouse, I asked Arrieta if the Pilates room was named for him. "I don't know," he said. Now that he has another no-hitter under his belt, the naming rights undoubtedly belong to Arrieta rather than some corporate sponsor. "It's already being called the Arrieta Room informally," Epstein said. "I bet it sticks." -- Chicago Tribune Jon Lester loses no-hit bid early but tosses 7 solid innings for victory By Mark Gonzales Before Joey Votto ended any no-hit suspense in the first inning with a single Friday night, Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio revealed he had made a bold prediction in spring training. "This is a year we're going to get three," Bosio said of his forecast, one day after ace Jake Arrieta threw the first no-hitter of the season and the second of his rapidly ascending career. "I still believe that. On any given night, any one of these guys can do it. "Maybe that number is correct. Or maybe that number is higher. I don't know." Jon Lester, who threw a no-hitter for the Red Sox in 2008, allowed the safety to Votto and four other hits as he pitched effectively through seven innings to lead the Cubs to an 8-1 victory over the Reds. Cubs hitters contributed nine hits, including home runs from Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez. Lester singled out Votto's single. "That's the cool and special thing about a no-hitter," said Lester, who admitted throwing a back-to-back no-hitter was in the back of his mind. "Joey easily could have done that (Thursday) — a checked-swing ground ball down the third base line for a hit. And it just didn't happen. It makes those nights very special." Votto's single was the only hit Lester allowed through the first four innings. "I feel last year we burned out our bullpen early a little bit," Lester said. "For us to save our bullpen (now for) when we need them (more) in July, August and September, hopefully we'll see the rewards of that." The Cubs have such high expectations for their rotation that manager Joe Maddon, Bosio and Arrieta confirmed President Theo Epstein had a discussion before the 2015 season on how they would handle their starters in the midst of no-hit bids.

The dialogue took place during Lester's ballyhooed arrival as a marquee free agent and three months before Arrieta embarked on his historical run. All participants agreed the starters should be allowed to pursue their no-hit bids. "We want to make sure that any situation that comes up we're prepared for," Bosio said. "I think it's a tremendous way to go about it. It's up and down the organization because our minor leagues had a couple of no-hitters the past couple of years. "It's something that should be in the manual. When that time comes up, everyone is going to get their shot." Maddon was glad the policy was in place Thursday night "because I could stand in that (dugout) corner." Of the Cubs' remaining starters, John Lackey and Jason Hammel have thrown one-hitters. There are some caution areas, however, to letting starters go all out on no-hit bids. Bosio said that Arrieta had about 40 pitches to work with after throwing 85 through the first six innings. But Arrieta needed only nine pitches each in the seventh and eighth innings and finished with 119 overall. "Borzi (coach Mike Borzello) and I call them 'Heinz Ketchup innings,'" Bosio quipped in referring to efficient innings. "Anything with 10 (pitches) or less. It just seems like when we're going good, our starters can do that." -- Chicago Tribune Javier Baez blossoms in Cubs' 8-1 win By Mark Gonzales Although Javier Baez stumbled before crossing home plate in the second inning Friday night, the Chicago Cubs saw an array of improvement in other areas that could lead to him getting more playing time. Baez, 23, making his first start at third base this season, nearly started a triple play in addition to showing plenty of improvement at the plate that helped the Cubs seize an 8-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. “He brings a lot of athleticism to the field,” manager Joe Maddon said. “When he’s on the field, we have another good baseball player out there. I like his adjustments to the plate. I liked his base hit to right field a lot. He might get out of control with his swing once in a while, but he comes back down to earth after that. He’s learning, but you can see the quality of his defense and base running. It’s really high-end.” Baez, a notorious dead pull hitter during his two-month stint in 2014 that led to 95 strikeouts in 213 at-bats, hit an outside breaking pitch to right field for a single in the second inning, and then he ripped a line drive home run to start the ninth. Baez’s performance made a favorable impression on left-hander Jon Lester, who only heard about Baez’s undisciplined approach before joining the Cubs as a free agent in 2015. “We all know he can flat out play defense and pick it,” Lester said. “He has some good at-bats. You can see him mature a bit last year. I wasn’t around the year before and had the hearsay of his approach and all that. “But it goes along with the rest of the young guys. You see them grow up and get at-bats, and that’s the biggest thing from him. He knows he’s going to have a chance to play different positions and be our Ben Zobrist. It’s good for Javy. Hopefully he can get going and be a big contributor to this team and can continue to do that for us.” Baez showed strong instincts in the fifth when he fielded a chopper by Tyler Holt and stepped on the third base bag before throwing quickly to second base for two quick outs.

But Ben Zobrist’s throw to first was slightly too late to nail Holt for what would have been a triple play. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' Jon Lester leads with bunt, left arm in 8-1 win By Mark Gonzales Jon Lester executed a safety squeeze bunt Friday night as if he was an accomplished bunter. But the Chicago Cubs’ left-hander ranks bunting with less enthusiasm than curing his fielding issues. Manager Joe Maddon praised Lester for his bunt up the first base line that capped a three-run rally in the fourth inning of an 8-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Lester seemed relieved that he finally executed a bunt after missing a few attempts last season. But when asked if he was excited to get the safety squeeze sign, Lester bellowed a convincing “no.” “Especially the safety squeeze,” Lester said. “You got to make sure you watch what the infielders are doing and at the same time try to pick up the ball to figure out what side of the field you need to bunt it to. I was fortunate to get it close to (first base) line to make the pitcher (Jon Moscot) field it. “It’s not a burden, but you got to pick up the infielders and see what they’re doing and pick up the ball at the same time and get the bunt down. It’s not an easy play, but we got two in a row, so we’re good.” Lester’s bunt followed a suicide squeeze bunt by David Ross that scored Javier Baez. Lester’s bunt provided comfort, as he pitched seven innings of one-run ball to lower his ERA to 1.98. More important, Lester contributed to a rotation that has a 2.13 ERA and has pitched at least six innings in all but one of their first 17 games. “We knew coming in we’d have a good staff,” Lester said. “I said early on I’ve never been part of a staff that’s had 1,000 innings before. I’d like to see that and be a part of that. And we got five guys who can push the envelope and do that.” The last time the Cubs received at least 1,000 innings from their starters was in 2004. -- Chicago Tribune Nothing stopping Jake Arrieta from going for 3 no-hitters By Mark Gonzales After pitching his second no-hitter in eight months, Cubs ace Jake Arrieta certainly won't rule out the possibility of throwing more no-hitters. "I think it's possible," Arrieta said Friday, one day after extending his mastery over the Reds with a 16-0 no-hit effort. While in the midst of one of the greatest stretches for a starting pitcher in modern history, Arrieta hasn't shied away from expectations. Arrieta, 30, is 15-0 with an 0.53 ERA in his last 16 starts dating back to Aug. 1. Since 1950, there are only 10 such winning streaks by a starter longer than Arrieta's, according to Baseball-reference.

Arrieta was amused by a Jason Hammel tweet that suggested Arrieta should throw another no-hitter in mid-June. "I think I'll be in those positions again," Arrieta said. "But you have to realize it takes one broken bat or a guy taking a very good swing and hitting a gapper. It's tough. So many things have to go right, but I think I'll have my opportunity again." Three years ago, it seemed doubtful if Arrieta would get a chance to pitch a no-hitter, at least with the Orioles. Arrieta was optioned to Triple-A Nashville one day after blowing a 4-1 lead to the Dodgers in which he failed to retire the first four batters in the fifth inning and was demoted with a 6.63 ERA. "It goes to show you I was in a position where the adjustment was so small because I could do it for an extended period of time, (but) something would pop and the wheels would fall off," said Arrieta, who was traded less than three months later with reliever Pedro Strop. "It shows you how the game can humble you and can make you learn lessons, whether you want to or not. It's about how you respond to it. I was able to get my mind in the right spot and get things on track. It took longer than I would have liked, but I'm grateful for everything I went through to get to this point." Despite his previous struggles, pitching coach Chris Bosio recalled Arrieta possessing the repertoire to succeed during a spring training game in 2011 when he struck out eight in three innings with the Orioles. Bosio was a scout for the Brewers at the time and weighed in heavily when the Cubs had a chance to acquire Arrieta. "Jake will be the first one to admit he put more time into it," Bosio said. "He has worked his tail off and works diligently on everything he does." Extra innings: The Cubs players celebrated Arrieta's no-hitter with a pizza party in the hotel suite of Dexter Fowler. "That every guy was on board enough to support Jake last night after the game, it speaks to the group," manager Joe Maddon said. … After an attempt to ban Maddon's "Try Not To Suck" T-shirts at Busch Stadium, sales increased by $21,000 on Wednesday and $35,000 on Thursday. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' David Ross regains his power stroke By Mark Gonzales David Ross hit as many as 21 home runs for the Cincinnati Reds in 2006, but the Chicago Cubs' backup catcher has developed a reputation for his handling of pitchers. But thanks to a tip by a friend who has thrown batting practice since his younger days, Ross has regained his power stroke. "I was kind of lost last year," Ross said Friday, one day after hitting a home run to right center. "I’ve been lost for the past few years since my concussion (in 2013 with Boston). I've been trying to get back to where I was. It was more mechanical. Ross isn't a big student of watching film. But Steve Givens, his personal batting practice pitcher in Tallahassee, Fla., noticed that Ross used to put more weight on his back leg. "I went to doing that and saw the ball better," Ross said. "And swinging felt a lot better." As a result, Ross entered Friday's game with a respectable .278 batting average - a remarkable improvement over his .176 mark last season.

"I’m in every at-bat," Ross said. "My teammates have been giving me good feedback." Former major league player Dean Palmer, who attended Ross' high school alma mater, advised him to cut down on his movement, such as a shorter leg kick, in an effort to make contact more frequently. Ross also applied the "B Hack" advised by manager Joe Maddon in which a hitter chokes up on the bat and looks to drive the ball to the opposite field. This is the final year for Ross, 39, but he joked about renouncing his retirement plans after receiving congratulatory messages from President Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer. "Just so they know I’ll take that qualifying offer ($15.8 million) if they put in on the table," Ross smiled. "As long as they know that, we’re all good. "I love my family, but they’ll all agree on that one." -- Chicago Tribune Past, present and future attractive for Cubs' Jake Arrieta By Mark Gonzales Thursday night's no-hitter might be merely the midpoint of Jake Arrieta's incredible ascent with the Chicago Cubs. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Arrieta is the first pitcher to record 24 consecutive quality starts in more than 40 years. Arrieta improved to 20-1 with an 0.86 ERA with 173 strikeouts and only 33 walks in 178 innings in his past 24 starts since June 21. And since Aug. 1, Arrieta is 15-0 with a 0.53 ERA in 16 starts. That stretch included a no-hitter at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 30, 2015 - 10 starts ago. Only two pitchers had fewer starts between no-hitters - Johnny Vander Meer, the only pitcher to throw no-hitters in consecutive starts (1938), and Warren Spahn, who had five starts between no-hitters on September 16, 1960 and April 28, 1961. Arrieta and Vender Meer are the only two pitchers to throw two no-hitters without a loss in between. Arrieta improved to 14-0 in his last 14 road decisions. According to Elias, only two pitchers have won 14 consecutive road decisions in the Wild Card era (starting in 1994): Greg Maddux (twice, 1994-95 and 1997-98) and Johan Santana (2004-05). After Thursday's 16-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, Arrieta became the first Cubs starting pitcher to win his first four starts since Greg Maddux in 2006. According to Elias, Arrieta became the fifth defending Cy Young Award winner to win his first four starts of the following season, joining Tim Lincecum (first four in 2010), Randy Johnson (first seven in 2000 and first six in 2002), and Pedro Martinez (first five in 2000). Coincidentally, Arrieta threw his no-hitter one night shy of the 23rd anniversary of the no-hitter of pitching coach Chris Bosio while pitching for the Seattle Mariners. After throwing 119 pitches Thursday, Arrieta will get an extra day of rest (caused by Monday's day off) before making his next scheduled start Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field. Arrieta is 4-3 lifetime against the Brewers despite a 2.35 career ERA. Arrieta hasn't allowed a run in his past 48 2/3 innings at Wrigley Field.

Arrieta (4-0) is off to a prosperous start in attempting to win 20 games for the second consecutive season. The Cubs' rotation currently is lined up so that Arrieta will face the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 2 in the opener of their three-game series and rematch of their National League wild-card game at PNC Park. But Arrieta currently is on a springboard to greater riches. Arrieta, 30, is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2017 season, and his recent dominance has surpassed past successes of David Price and Zack Greinke, who each received multi-year contracts with an annual average well over $30 million. -- Chicago Tribune Fan who ran onto field after Cubs no-hitter: 'I accepted I was going to jail' By Jeanne Kuang As Dylan Cressy watched Cubs ace Jake Arrieta pitch his way to a no-hitter Thursday night, he handed his wallet, phone and keys to his friend next to him in the stands in Cincinnati. He was ready. When the last out was called, Cressy vaulted over a railing, raced past an officer and started jumping up and down with the players huddled around Arrieta on the mound after the 16-0 win over the Reds. He even patted the pitcher on the head. “I planned my route,” the 22-year-old said later. “I accepted the fact that I was going to jail that night but I thought it would be worth it.” An officer finally dragged him off and Cressy was charged with criminal trespass. He called his father from the Hamilton County Justice Center. Michael Cressy said he got the call as he was going to bed at his home in Mishawaka, near South Bend, after listening to the game on the radio. “When I first got the call that he was in jail, I wasn’t too pleased,” the elder Cressy said. “But when I found out what it was about, I was proud. It took some guts.” The elder Cressy later posted on his Facebook page: "Yes, that's my son Dylan on the field in Cincy celebrating with Arrieta and the boys after the no-hitter! That's my boy!" Michael Cressy said he and his son have been Cubs fans their whole lives. He said Dylan and a friend had driven to see the game from Bloomington, where he is a student at Indiana University. “I remember sitting in Wrigley Field with (Dylan) just in my arms when he was a baby,” Cressy said. “He called earlier in the day and said they were thinking about making a road trip. I said, ‘Heck yeah, go.’” The younger Cressy said he and his father go to Wrigley Field several times each summer. He described Thursday's game against the Reds "pure joy" and his dash on the field "worth every penny." Cressy was released later Friday and headed back to Bloomington. -- Chicago Tribune David Ross scratches no-hitter off bucket list By Staff Catching his first no-hitter kept David Ross awake for most of the night Thursday, the Cubs veteran said on WSCR-AM 670 early Friday.

Ross called pitches for Jake Arrieta's second career no-hitter, the highlight of a 16-0 drubbing of the Cincinnati Reds, helping Ross scratch gettting a no-no off his bucket list in what is now his 16th season. The radio station played "Forever Young" (Ross' walk-up song) leading into an interview segment with the 39-year-old, who gets plenty of teasing from teammates about his age. Ross recalled that he and fellow catcher Miguel had just had a conversation about catching a no-hitter during the plane ride from St. Louis after the Cubs' previous series against the Cardinals. "We were talking about, man, it had to be cool. Miggy's caught two of them. I'm like, man, that's pretty special. We were just talking about what it's like," he said. "And it comes to fruition my next start." "I'm on cloud nine, It's one of those things you don't think will ever happen to you," Ross said. Ross said he doesn't know what memento he'll sock away from the game, especially since he was scheduled to catch again on Friday. "So (last night) I'm like let's not get too excited, you got another game tomorrow, so (don't) go out and throw 100 beers back and celebrate," he said. Ross said he was so wired he couldn't sleep. "I couldn't calm down." An emotional rollercoaster of a night got even more sentimental when he saw a tweet from Arrieta's wife, Brittany. "@D_Ross3 Want you to know Jake's first text to me was "Did it for Rossy" #family #rethinkyourretirement." "I tweeted her back, I was up late last night, and I (had) kept the tears in all night, and now you're going to make me cry," Ross laughed. "You read that on Twitter and the eyeballs start welling up." -- Chicago Sun-Times Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Clayton Kershaw … and Jake Arrieta By Gordon Wittenmyer CINCINNATI — With his second no-hitter in eight months Thursday, Jake Arrieta (4-0, 0.87 ERA) takes a 19-inning scoreless streak into his next start, along with these numbers: 15-0, 0.53: Arrieta’s record and ERA in his last 16 regular-season starts (119 1/3 IP). 20-1, 0.86: Arrieta’s record and ERA in his last 24 (178 IP) 9: Regular-season starts between no-hitters for Arrieta. Only Johnny Vander Meer, who threw back-to-back no-hitters, and Warren Spahn (five) had fewer games between no-hitters. 4: Reigning Cy Young Award winners who have thrown no-hitters. The others: Sandy Koufax (1964), Bob Gibson (1971), Clayton Kershaw (2014) 24; Franchise-record consecutive quality starts by Arrieta. The last time a big-leaguer did that (Gibson, 26 straight in 1967-68), MLB lowered the pitcher’s mound. -- Chicago Sun-Times Arrieta has gone from dice roll to indispensable since ’13 trade By Gordon Wittenmyer

CINCINNATI – Jake Arrieta doesn’t often miss when it matters. But he knows he missed a big chance this week when he let Bob Gibson walk Tuesday in St. Louis – two days before Arrieta made more history with another no-hitter. Gibson, the Hall of Fame pitcher credited with the most dominant pitching season in history, visited before Tuesday’s game with manager Joe Maddon in the Cubs’ dugout. But Arrieta wasn’t there, just missing a chance to meet the man he has bumped into constantly in the record books for much of the past year. “I need to,” Arrieta said. “I’ve got to get a picture with him.” He’ll have to settle for this snapshot for now: Not even Gibson – not even during the 1968 season he set the record with a 1.12 ERA – has ever had a 24-game stretch in which he had an ERA as low as Arrieta’s 0.86 over the last 24 starts. “That’s all the historical perspective I need,” said Maddon, whose favorite player as a kid was Gibson. “When you say that, that puts everything in the most elite class.” Arrieta showed that much again Thursday when he battled command problems early and still pitched a no-hitter against the Reds – his second no-hitter in eight months, with only nine regular-season starts between the two. “It’s crazy, man, what he’s done,” Maddon said. Crazy. Historic. Predictable? “I envisioned pitching like this, even when I had a 5.00 [ERA] in Baltimore,” said Arrieta, whose no-hitter Thursday fell on the third anniversary of a rough start for the Orioles that typified his struggles there. The next day, he was demoted to the minors, one of the moves that precipitated his eventual trade that summer to the Cubs, along with Pedro Strop, for Scott Feldman and Steve Clevenger. “Even then I had visualizations of throwing no-hitters, or throwing shutouts. Now it’s starting to happen for me, and I don’t take any of it for granted.” The Cubs certainly don’t. If anyone doubted it before Thursday, Arrieta continued to prove he’s the most indispensable player on the Cubs’ roster as they chase their October expectations. Arrieta was considered by Cubs officials at the time of the trade as the secondary acquisition to Strop, a starter with terrific stuff but a spotty enough background for doing anything with it that one insider said at the time it would be a bonus to the trade if he eventually became a productive starter for the club. Two years later, he won a Cy Young Award, set ERA records with his dominant finish last season and became the single biggest reason the Cubs look at the 2016-17 window as their greatest projectable shot at a championship. Arrieta, who balked over contract length during discussions in recent months on a possible extension, is eligible for free agency after next season. “Every Cy Young Award winner I know gets a seven-year contract,” his agent, Scott Boras, said during the opening series of the season. Boras last year compared Arrieta to $210 million free agent Max Scherzer.

Whatever happens next between Arrieta and the Cubs’ front office, his relationship to this team’s efforts are as aligned with the urgency of now as everything else going on with a team that is already off to the best start in the majors. In fact, he’s not sure he’s done throwing no-hitters, even this year. Teammate Jason Hammel tweeted Thursday night that “if my math is right we should expect another no-no from [Arrieta] middle of June, right?” Said Arrieta: “It’s tough. So many things have to go right. But I think I’ll have my opportunity again.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs off to MLB-best 13-4 start as Lester, big bats trounce Reds By Gordon Wittenmyer CINCINNATI – During spring training, Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio predicted three no-hitters this season. And he wasn’t just talking about Jake Arrieta – whose no-hitter Thursday was the buzz around the Cubs all day Friday. “Any given night any one of these guys can do it,” Bosio said. “They’ve shown the ability to take over the game, and with the defense the way we’re playing, who knows? Maybe that number’s correct. Or maybe the number’s higher. I don’t know.” Jon Lester, who pitched a no-hitter eight years ago, ended any potential drama over back-to-back history when he gave up a single to the third batter he faced in his start Friday. But the left-hander the Cubs signed for $155 million before last season to start the buildup toward contention backed up Bosio’s larger point that his staff is more than a one-man History Channel show. In fact, it’s the top-ranked staff in the majors – its ERA dropping to 2.08 after Friday’s 8-1 victory behind Lester’s impressive seven innings. “That was the best fastball he’s had all year,” manager Joe Maddon said of Lester – whose 2-1 start with a 1.98 ERA is light years ahead of his 0-2, 6.23 performance through his first four starts last year. “We’re talking about the hitting a lot, but the pitching has really been there every night,” Maddon added. The rotation also leads the majors in ERA (2.13), and innings per start (6.7). “We’ve been consistent. I think that’s been the best thing to see from my standpoint,” Lester said. “I feel like last year we kind of burned out our bullpen early on a little bit. For us to save our bullpen early on when we need them in July and August and September, hopefully we’ll see the rewards of that down the line. “We knew coming in we’d have a good staff. I’ve never been a part of a [starting] staff that’s got 1,000 innings before. So I’d like to see that and be a part of that, and I think we’ve got five guys that can really push the envelope and do that.” The Cubs on this night didn’t have the no-hitter to revel in, or a moron jumping from the stands to join their postgame bash on the infield, or a pizza celebration in Dexter Fowler’s hotel suite like they had the night before. They had to settle for this: Their fourth victory in five games so far on this two-city road trip and the best start in the majors so far at 13-4. “We’ve grown as a club,” said Bosio, in his fifth season with the Cubs. “We know what’s at stake. We got a taste of it last year. …And we want to get it right.”

Friday, the Cubs hit two more home runs, including one by Anthony Rizzo in his third consecutive game. David Ross and Jon Lester drove runs home with back-to-back safety squeeze bunts in the fourth. And all that was missing was the idiot fan running on the field after another blowout win – like the one who got close enough to Arrieta to pat him on the head before teammate John Lackey tossed him aside, and security hauled him away. “If we had to take care of him, we would have. But he seemed harmless,” Arrieta said. “Next time hopefully that won’t happen.” Or the next two times. “I think [Bosio] should be feeling pretty good about [his prediction],” Arrieta said. “I think we’ll have at least one more as a staff.” Notes: The Cubs came within a Tyler Holt stride of turning a 5-4-3 triple play in Friday’s fifth inning – third baseman Javy Baez grabbing Holt’s sharp bouncer near the bag, stepping on it and instinctively going to second for another out. “I was hoping he would do what he did. I’ve seen that play made,” Maddon said. “There’s that court awareness again. He has it.” … The afternoon after he threw a season-high 119 pitches Thursday, Arrieta said, “I’ve felt worse on less pitches before. My body feels great. I don’t feel like I’m putting near the stress on my body as I used to.” … Among the tricks Maddon and Bosio employed to keep relievers loose late in Thursday’s game without sending the “negative vibe” of having somebody warm up was to rotate relief pitchers to play catch with outfielders between innings. …Another trick to help make sure Arrieta didn’t get overworked if he needed a lot of pitches to complete the no-hitter: He threw fewer total warmup pitches before innings (finishing with 64 instead of the allowed 72 for the nine innings). … Arrieta, when reminded Reds pitcher Johnny Vander Meer threw back-to-back no-hitters in 1938: “I try to be good. But that’s a little much.” -- Cubs.com Renaissance man: Lester's bat, arm top Reds By Mark Sheldon and Carrie Muskat CINCINNATI -- Using power and small ball in the fourth inning, the Cubs scored three runs on their way to an 8-1 victory over the Reds on Friday night at Great American Ball Park. Chicago has won four of its last five games. The Cubs' lead was 1-0 when Anthony Rizzo led off the fourth against Jon Moscot with a first-pitch home run to right field. Runners were on the corners with one out when David Ross dropped a successful squeeze bunt that scored Javier Baez. Moscot made a throwing error to first base on the play, putting runners on second and third. Pitcher Jon Lester followed and made it back-to-back squeeze bunts when his sacrifice scored Addison Russell. "I finally got one to work for me," Lester said of his bunt. Lester had his "best fastball of the year," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. The lefty had a largely smooth night with seven innings, giving up one earned run on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts. In his second start of the season, Moscot labored with 96 pitches over five innings with four runs (three earned) on three hits, four walks and two strikeouts. "That's just not a good performance by me," Moscot said. "It's kind of unacceptable, actually, to come out after a game like last night and not attack the hitters and be behind in most counts. It's frustrating on my part and unacceptable. I've just got to move forward."

The game was blown open when the Cubs scored four runs against J.J. Hoover in the ninth. Baez led off with a homer, with three additional runs crossing on three-straight two-out doubles. "I like his adjustments at the plate," Maddon said of Baez. "He might get out of control with his swing once in a while, but then he comes back down to earth after that. He's learning. You can see the quality of his defense, and his baserunning is really high end." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Cozart goes deep: It was a 4-0 game when a 14-inning scoreless streak ended for Cincinnati in the sixth. Cozart slugged Lester's 2-1 pitch into the left-center-field seats for a leadoff homer. It was his first homer of the season, but he has been the club's hottest batter in the young season with hits in 11 of his 12 games The one hitless game was on Thursday during Jake Arrieta's no-hitter. Power surge: A year ago, Rizzo hit two home runs in 20 April games. He belted his sixth of the season in the Cubs' 17th game on Friday, leading off the fourth inning with a shot to right. He now has 107 home runs with the Cubs, tied with Shawon Dunston for 18th on the franchise's all-time list. Rizzo has three dingers in his last five games, and 16 of his 17 RBIs have come on the road. Check swing snaps skid: In the first inning with two outs against Lester, Joey Votto checked his swing but rolled a ball down an unguarded third-base line and into left field. It went for a single, and it also snapped a career-high 0-for-19 streak for the Reds' first baseman. Super utility: In his first start at third, Baez nearly ignited a triple play in the fifth. The Reds had runners at first and second and no one out when Tyler Holt smacked the ball to Baez, who stepped on third for one out and fired to second baseman Ben Zobrist for out No. 2. Zobrist then threw to first, nearly getting Holt. "Javy made a great play and got us out of somewhat of a jam, which could have turned the game momentum-wise," Maddon said. "It didn't surprise me that [Baez] attempted to do that. There's that court awareness." Added Lester: "I've never seen a triple play, never been part of a triple play, and it would've been cool to get that. Just missed it by a step." SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS With two homers allowed on Friday, the Reds' pitching staff leads the Majors with 30 home runs surrendered this season. Twenty of the long balls were given up over the last eight games. "They have a nice club and can hit the ball out of the ballpark. But in order to hit a home run, you have to get a good pitch to hit. They're not digging at a pitch down and away or a pitch in on their hands, a well-located breaking ball or changeup and hitting those balls out of the ballpark. They're hitting pitches that are mistakes. They're typically hitting pitches that are later in the count, and they're seeing a lot of pitches. Give them credit that they don't expand their zones early. That's one of the reasons they've evolved as a team. They don't expand their strike zones early, so you have to throw a strike. They're not going to get themselves out on a first-pitch ball. The rules of pitching have not changed, ever. To pitch at this level, you have to be able to throw quality strikes to get ahead in the count." -- Reds manager Bryan Price REPLAY REVIEW There were two outs in the eighth when Zobrist appeared to successfully steal second base with a head-first slide just ahead of a tag to his face by Brandon Phillips. The Reds challenged umpire Nic Lentz's call and it was overturned, as the replay official definitively felt that the tag was made in time, making that the third out of the inning. WHAT'S NEXT

Cubs: John Lackey will aim for the first 4-0 start of his career at 6:10 p.m. CT Saturday. The right-hander is 4-2 in 10 career starts against the Reds, and he faced them on April 13 at Wrigley Field. In that game, he gave up two runs over 6 2/3 innings. Reds: Coming off of a solid first start, Dan Straily will get the ball again at 7:10 P.M. ET Saturday when the Reds continue the series against the Cubs. Straily, who briefly pitched for Chicago, threw 76 pitches over five innings vs. the Rockies on Monday and allowed one run. -- Cubs.com Arrieta confident more no-no's in his future By Carrie Muskat CINCINNATI -- One day after making history by throwing his second career no-hitter, Jake Arrieta did his normal post-start routine on Friday. It's business as usual, even if the right-hander has been so unique. Since June 21, Arrieta is 20-1 with an 0.86 ERA (17 earned runs over 178 innings pitched) with 33 walks and 173 strikeouts in 24 regular-season starts. Since Aug. 1, he's 15-0 with a 0.53 ERA (seven earned runs and 119 1/3 innings pitched) in 16 starts. Manager Joe Maddon has had a tough time keeping up with all of the Arrieta facts and figures. One thing Maddon did discover Friday was that Hall of Famer Bob Gibson, who was the manager's favorite player growing up, never had numbers like Arrieta's. "That's all the historical perspective I needed," Maddon said. "That puts him in the most elite class. "He does it in the most confident, humble way I've ever seen. He's kind of matter of fact, 'Yeah, I can do this, I believe it. I'm not here to brag at it, I know I can do this.' And he does it. It's kind of like a really good NFL quarterback. He's got a lot of that in him." Arrieta doesn't expect this to be his last no-hitter, either. "I think I'll be in these positions again, but you have to realize it takes one broken bat or a guy putting a really good swing on a ball and hitting a gapper, so it's tough," Arrieta said. "So many things have to go right. I think I'll have my opportunity again." Pitching coach Chris Bosio remembers his scouting report on Arrieta when he saw the right-hander in the Minor Leagues with the Orioles. In one outing, Arrieta struck out eight batters over three innings, and Bosio wrote that the pitcher was "extremely poised and athletic." But it has taken some time for Arrieta to become the pitcher he is, and Bosio credited him for maturing, being more diligent, getting a better feel for his pitches and developing more awareness of the league. "That's the thing that's special about Jake and our other starters as well is that they have flexibility and are not a one-trick pony," Bosio said. "You can't sit on one pitch. [Catcher David Ross] and Jake did a great job of following the scouting report, but also taking advantage of some counts that he might be aggressive on." Arrieta has heard Johnny Vander Meer's name mentioned lately. He's the only pitcher to throw no-hitters in consecutive starts. "I wouldn't expect that," Arrieta said. "I try to be good, but that's a little much." -- Cubs.com

Lester's gem latest for dominant rotation By Carrie Muskat CINCINNATI -- No team has ever had no-hitters in consecutive games, but Jon Lester admitted he was thinking about following Jake Arrieta's no-no with the second of his career. Joey Votto spoiled that early Friday night. Votto singled with two outs in the first, one of five hits off Lester, who got plenty of offensive support in the Cubs' 8-1 win. Arrieta threw his second career no-hitter on Thursday in the series opener. "We're all human and we all think about it and the possibilities and what if," said Lester, who did throw a no-hitter May 19, 2008, with the Red Sox. "Obviously, Joey Votto erased that pretty quickly. "That's the cool thing and the special thing about a no-hitter. Joey could've easily done that last night -- checked swing, ground ball down the third-base line for a hit. That's what makes those nights very special. Everything is right at guys or guys get great jumps or whatever it is, and you're flat-out dominant. Going in, we're all in the back of our minds, hoping." Lester did just fine on Friday. It was the 15th quality start by a Cubs pitcher in 17 games, the most in franchise history. Chicago starters have given up just 29 runs (27 earned) and lead the Majors with a 2.13 ERA. "We talk about the hitting a lot, but the pitching has been there every night," manager Joe Maddon said. People talk about the hitting because the Cubs have outscored their opponents, 105-38, the best run differential in the Majors. Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez each hit home runs Friday, and the Cubs are averaing more than six runs per game. Back to the pitching. What does the Cubs' success mean? "We've been consistent," Lester said. "That's been the best thing to see from my standpoint. We've consistently gone into the sixth, seventh inning, and sometimes deeper. I feel like last year, we burnt out our bullpen early on. "We knew coming in we'd have a good staff. I've never been a part of a staff that has 1,000 innings before, and I'd like to see that. I think we have five guys who can push the envelope and do that." The Cubs are now 9-2 on the road and 13-4 overall, and they've done that despite having Rizzo bat .194 and Jason Heyward batting .203. "The scary part for the opponents is you look up at some of our guys, and they're not really swinging the bat too great," Lester said. "Our pitching has been really consistent, and I think that's going to be the backbone of this team, and it will take us to where we want to go. The fun part for us is knowing a lot of these guys haven't got hot yet, and you look at the start we've had. When you've had a good start, you can sit back, you're not pressing as much." -- Cubs.com Improved hitting approach helping Ross By Carrie Muskat CINCINNATI -- It's early, but David Ross is seeing results after tweaking his swing this offseason. And the veteran catcher is closing in on a milestone that he'd like to complete before his final year in the big leagues ends. Ross hit his 97th career home run Thursday night and caught Jake Arrieta's no-hitter in a 16-0 win over the Reds. The Cubs players are encouraging Ross in his quest to hit 100 dingers.

"I was rounding second, and I saw half the dugout with three fingers up, and I had a huge smile," Ross said before driving in two runs in Friday's 8-1 win over the Reds. "They're counting down for me. To reach 100 would be nice." A friend who throws batting practice to Ross in the offseason helped with the adjustments. "I was kind of lost last year -- I've been lost for a couple years since my concussion, trying to get back to where I was," Ross said. "I think it was more mechanical to how I was attacking the ball." Manager Joe Maddon also has helped Ross develop a better two-strike approach, getting him to shorten his swing. This may be his 15th season, but Ross is still learning. So, with the hot start and the no-hitter, is Ross re-thinking his decision to retire? He did talk to president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer about that Thursday night. "They sent me some real nice messages," Ross said. "I said, 'Just so they know, I will take that qualifying offer if they put it on the table.' As long as they know that, we're all good." And their response? "I got a couple 'Laugh out louds,'" Ross said. "They know how crazy that is." • A Cubs fan ran onto the field at Great American Ball Park at the end of Arrieta's no-hitter to join in the celebration and was promptly removed by security. "I wasn't thinking anything dangerous or anything like that," Ross said. "You could tell by the look on this guy's face that he was excited and happy for us. Nothing bad entered my mind, except 'Let's get this idiot out of here so I can celebrate with my teammates.'" Jason Heyward told Arrieta that the fan came from right field. "As Heyward was running in, the kid passed him," Arrieta said. "I thought that was kind of funny." -- Cubs.com No-hitter protocol eased Arrieta, Cubs By Carrie Muskat CINCINNATI -- The Cubs actually prepared for Jake Arrieta's two no-hitters during Spring Training in 2015 when the starters met with front office executives, manager Joe Maddon and pitching coach Chris Bosio to go over the ground rules. The discussion focused on such things as pitch counts, so the starters knew in advance how much leeway they had. On Thursday, Arrieta had thrown 85 pitches through six innings against the Reds, but he was able to have back-to-back nine-pitch innings in the seventh and eighth to help him finish with his second career no-no. "The good thing is the fact we had this conversation with all the starters regarding the potential of a no-hitter and how it relates to pitch counts," Maddon said. "They knew and he knew and I knew without having to say anything that he was good to go." Bosio called the meeting a chance "to clear the air," and he said it was president of baseball operations Theo Epstein's idea. This way, all the starting pitchers knew what to expect. Arrieta remembered the session. If a pitcher had reached 110 pitches by the seventh or eighth innings, there was a good chance he may not get to finish the game, especially if it was early in the season. The goal is to be fresh for October.

"I'm glad we did it because I was a lot more comfortable standing in that corner [of the dugout] yesterday," Maddon said. "I would say 130-something [pitches] would start giving me the hives or a recurrence of shingles if he did something like that. I knew Jake had an extra day coming on the back side, so we could manipulate it." Arrieta finished with 119 pitches on Thursday, and he will get an extra day before his next outing -- as will all of the Cubs starters -- because of Monday's off-day. John Lackey, new to the club this year, was not part of that no-hit protocol meeting, but Maddon said that was OK. "There's no way I'm taking John out," Maddon said. "I'm not going to mess with Johnny." Part of the protocol involves the relievers as well. "We would never get anybody up during the middle of a no-hitter just for no-hitter protocol reasons," Bosio said. "Everybody stay in their seats, shut up and watch the game." What bullpen coach Lester Strode did do was have the relievers alternate throwing to the outfielders between innings so they were loose. There are other rules. "You make sure everybody sits in the same spot, chewing the same piece of gum, drinking from the same cup of water," Bosio said. "It sounds like everybody did that last night, so good job everybody." Bosio knows something about no-hitters. Friday marked the anniversary of his no-no on April 22, 1993, when he did so for the Mariners against the Red Sox. Bosio doesn't expect Thursday's no-hitter to be the last for the Cubs this season. "I said in Spring Training, I think this is the year we're going to get three," Bosio said. "I still believe that. Any given night, any one of these guys can do it. They've shown the ability to take over the game, and with the defense the way we're playing, who knows? Maybe that number is correct or maybe that number is higher. It was fun to watch Jake go about it." Told that Bosio predicted three no-hitters by the Cubs, Arrieta smiled. "Only 17 games in, he should be feeling pretty good about that," Arrieta said. "I think we'll have another one at least." -- Cubs.com Memories of catching no-no enough for Ross By Carrie Muskat CINCINNATI -- David Ross and Dexter Fowler had planned on hosting a pizza party at their hotel before Jake Arrieta's no-hitter Thursday night, but the milestone made the Cubs' players get-together even more special. "It was really fun to hear everybody's perspective," said Ross, who caught his first no-hitter in the Cubs' 16-0 win over the Reds. "That was my favorite part to hear what this guy was thinking and that guy was thinking." Some of the players admitted to being nervous. Miguel Montero, who had caught Arrieta's first no-hitter Aug. 30, 2015, against the Dodgers, had watched the Cubs on defense from the clubhouse. He wasn't sure what to do in the ninth inning -- if he went in the dugout, and Arrieta gave up a hit, would it be Montero's fault? For the record, Montero was in the dugout, and Arrieta did notch no-hitter No. 2. The first text message the pitcher sent to his wife, Brittany, was that he did it for Ross. "Once I got to the sixth, seventh innings, that was my only concern was to do it for him," Arrieta said. "We had talked about it several times and that he still hadn't caught one or had that opportunity yet."

Ross, 39, said he got a little emotional reading the note from Brittany. He didn't save any souvenirs from the game. "The memories are enough for me," Ross said. "Some of the pictures of the hug [after the final out], that's what is really cool." Ross was back behind the plate Friday to catch Jon Lester. "I always give these guys a hard time, tell them to turn the page," Ross said. "Yesterday was yesterday." -- Cubs.com Veteran Lackey opposes Straily, Reds By Carrie Muskat John Lackey will aim for the first 4-0 start of his career on Saturday when the Cubs meet the Reds in the third meeting of a four-game series at Great American Ball Park. Cincinnati will counter with Dan Straily, who some Chicago folk know well. Lackey is coming off seven scoreless innings against the Cardinals in which he struck out 11 batters, one shy of his career high. The right-hander is 4-2 in 10 career starts against the Reds, and he faced them on April 13 at Wrigley Field. In that game, Lackey gave up two runs over 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander is 13 strikeouts shy of becoming the fifth active pitcher with at least 2,000 Ks, joining CC Sabathia, Bartolo Colon, Felix Hernandez and Jake Peavy. The Cubs acquired Straily from the Athletics in July 2014 in the Jeff Samardzija deal that also netted Chicago shortstop Addison Russell. Straily appeared in seven games (0-1, 11.85 ERA) with the Cubs that year, and he was dealt in January 2015 to the Astros along with Luis Valbuena for Dexter Fowler. Saturday will be Straily's second start and fifth appearance for the Reds. In his last outing against the Rockies, he gave up one run on two hits and two walks over five innings. Three things to know for this game: • The Reds don't expect Billy Hamilton to be back on Saturday. He's nursing a left thumb contusion, and his hand has been in a soft cast. • The Cubs' Kris Bryant is one of three players this year with at least 13 runs scored and 13 RBIs. He, along with Edwin Encarnacion, are the only players with three grand slams since the start of the 2015 season • The Cubs have won six straight games in Cincinnati for the first time since Aug. 5, 1945, to Aug. 18, 1946. --