Jake Arrieta shines again, but pen falters as Dodgers end Cubs' win streak with ace starting

CHICAGO -- About the only way to beat the Chicago Cubs these days when Jake Arrieta pitches is to shut down their offense.

It happened last July 25 when they were no-hit by Cole Hamels of the Philadelphia Phillies, and 24 starts later it happened again when the Los Angeles Dodgers one-hit them behind Scott Kazmir and two relievers.

"It took a no-hitter and one-hitter to beat Jake over the course of time," Cubs manager Joe Maddon lamented after the 5-0 loss on Tuesday. "He had really good command. Really good stuff. Good fastball. Great movement."

Arrieta threw seven scoreless innings, but the bullpen imploded behind him as Clayton Richard gave up two runs, Adam Warren gave up two more and Trevor Cahill added one.

"You play this game long enough, you're going to lose a game here and there," said Arrieta, who was denied his 21st straight victory. "That's just kind of a part of it. It was a good streak. We'll get started on something else."

In a weird twist, the Cubs were one-hit one night after doing the same to the Dodgers behind Jason Hammel and four relievers, while Los Angeles got revenge for being no-hit by Arrieta the last time he faced them in August. On Tuesday, it was Kazmir who handcuffed the Cubs, giving up just a single to Dexter Fowler in six innings.

"We've gotten used to winning when he pitches, but that's not going to last forever," Maddon said. "That's the nature of the game."

Arrieta lowered his ERA to a league-leading 1.56, exactly the same as Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers, but he and the Cubs will have to settle for tying the record for most consecutive wins (23) by a team since 1913 behind the same starting pitcher. The loss also snapped the Cubs' win streak at six games.

"We did it to them last night, and they did it to us tonight," Arrieta said of the back-to-back one-hitters. "It means a lot to get consistent wins for the team. Occasionally the guys on the other side are going to outplay you, and that's what happened tonight."