MIAMI -- Jake Arrieta made it look easy, then made it sound easy. Rob Ninkovich Patriots Jersey . The Chicago Cubs right-hander had a career-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings to beat the Miami Marlins 6-1 on Wednesday. Arrieta (3-1) lowered his ERA to 1.98, and he has 55 strikeouts in 50 innings. "Im not doing anything different," he said. "Im just commanding everything down in the strike zone and trying to force early contact. Strikeouts are just a byproduct of throwing several plus pitches for strikes." Arrieta has become one of the few bright spots for the last-place Cubs, although they have been playing better lately. By taking the rubber game of the three-game set, they won consecutive road series for the first time since June 2013. Chicago went 5-5 on a three-city swing. "We had a nice trip," manager Rick Renteria said. "Thats big. Were playing some consistent baseball." Miamis Giancarlo Stanton hit his NL-leading 20th homer in the first but left the game after six innings with a bruised left wrist. Stanton said the injury wasnt serious, and he expected to be back in the lineup Thursday against the New York Mets. But his wrist was swollen and bothered him more as the game progressed. "It was getting tighter and tighter," he said. "On swings and misses, it hurts a lot." Stanton hasnt missed a game this season, and he leads the NL in homers and RBIs with 57. Thats why manager Mike Redmond took no chances with the injury. "We need this guy for the long haul," Redmond said. "He wanted to stay in, but Im thinking about tomorrow and the next day." Stanton was hurt when he hit the wall in the first inning chasing a flyball. Nate Schierholtz hit a three-run homer for the Cubs. Starlin Castro had two RBI doubles and single batting cleanup. "I like batting fourth because there are usually runners on base," Castro said. "I just like that they put me in a spot and leave me there. If they keep moving me around, it breaks my concentration." Arrieta allowed five hits and one walk. He also doubled for his first career extra-base hit, but Renteria was more impressed with his pitching. Arrieta has 27 strikeouts in 20 innings over his past three starts. "I think he is commanding his fastball better, and his breaking ball is starting to get some bite and location," Renteria said. "Hes got great stuff, and hes very composed." The Marlins agreed. "He was using his cutter in good spots and staying on the corners," Stanton said. "He did a good job." Schierholtz was in a 3-for-26 slump before he hit his third homer off Nathan Eovaldi (4-3) in the Cubs four-run sixth. Eovaldi, back from paternity leave after joining his wife in Texas for the birth of their first child Monday, declined to blame any distractions for his performance. "Youve got to be able to come back and perform," he said. "If anything, I was excited to get back to the guys and play." NOTES: The Marlins plan to recall RHP Kevin Gregg from Triple-A New Orleans on Thursday, and C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (concussion) will be activated from the disabled list. To make room for them, the Marlins optioned LHP Dan Jennings to New Orleans and optioned C J.T. Realmuto to Double-A Jacksonville. ... Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade sat next to Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria in the second row and drew a big ovation when he was shown on the video scoreboard. ... LHP Randy Wolf, who was designed for assignment Monday by the Marlins, opted for free agency. ... A Marlins promotion for disadvantaged children boosted attendance to 27,032. ... Marlins RHP Steve Cishek turned 28 Wednesday. Cubs OF Chris Coghlan turned 29. ... Cubs starters have allowed 32 homers, fewest in the majors. ... When torrential rain with wind gusts of up to 53 mph hit during Tuesdays game, the Marlins retractable roof leaked in six or seven places, which was to be expected given the severity of the storm, team president David Samson said. ... Marlins LHP Andrew Heaney makes his major-league debut Thursday against the New York Mets and RHP Zack Wheeler (2-7, 4.38). ... The Cubs open a series at home Friday when Edwin Jackson (4-7, 5.11) pitches against Pittsburghs Charlie Morton (4-7, 3.09). Stephen Gostkowski Patriots Jersey . As the Toronto Argonauts prepare to face their hated enemies from down the QEW, the Hamilton Tiger Cats, in this Sundays Eastern Final, theyre faced with something they havent experienced all season - a healthy receiving corps. Stevan Ridley Kids Jersey . Erik Karlsson and the Ottawa Senators felt good after their 3-1 defeat of the Washington Capitals on Monday, their first back-to-back victory in 51 days and their first three-game winning streak at the Canadian Tire Centre this season.PITTSBURGH -- Tony Sanchez knows hes heading back to Triple-A soon enough. The Pittsburgh Pirates backup catcher will be going to Indianapolis when Russell Martins strained left hamstring is healed. Its a reality Sanchez can deal with so long as he makes a contribution while given the chance. At the moment, thats hardly a problem. Sanchez tiebreaking single off Baltimores Ryan Webb in the bottom of the seventh scored Starling Marte to give the Pirates the lead for good in a 9-8 win on Wednesday night. Coming off an embarrassing 9-2 loss on Tuesday and desperately in need of something positive, Sanchez helped Pittsburgh earn a split of the brief two-game interleague set. "Its almost a must win," Sanchez said. "We didnt have a really good road trip. To start off this homestand and go 0-2 it wouldnt have been pretty. Thats huge for me." Andrew McCutchen went 3 for 4 with an RBI and his first two extra-base hits in more than two weeks for Pittsburgh, which won for only the third time in its past nine games. Marte and Ike Davis had three hits and two RBIs apiece for the Pirates. Bryan Morris (4-0) earned the victory after allowing the Orioles to tie the game in the top of the seventh. No biggie. Mark Melancon worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save, one that capped a weird night in which the teams combined for 14 runs in the first two innings while starters Wandy Rodriguez and Chris Tillman took turns getting hit hard. It ended in more orderly fashion after Marte led off the seventh with a bunt single, moved to third on a single by Davis and scored when Sanchez laced a Webb offering into right field. "Its a game-winning hit, hes got a few of them," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Sanchez. "Hes got extreme confidence." Nelson Cruz hit his 14th homer of the season and drove in three runs for the Orioles. Nick Markakis, Chris Davis and JJ Hardy had two hits and one RBI apiece but Baltimore left 10 men on base. "You had two early exits from starters and it became a game out of the bullpen and they pushed one across there late," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. "But our guys, we had a couple opportunities to score somee more, but I cant fault the offence. Steve Grogan Womens Jersey. " Pittsburgh began the night eight games under .500 in part because of a struggling starting staff that has hardly looked like the group that led the team to the post-season last fall. Things didnt get much better, but the bullpen briefly recaptured its touch. Vin Mazzaros worked 3 1-3 innings of hitless relief to steady things after Rodriguez made a mess of things during 1 2-3 poor innings. The veteran left-hander has struggled with his command and his conviction all season and did little to convince Hurdle he was ready to turn the corner despite being spotted a 4-0 first-inning lead thanks in part to a two-run triple by Marte. The 35-year-old Rodriguez, in the final year of his contract, promptly gave the big lead away as Cruz led off the second a blistering solo home run and added a two-run double later in the inning to put the Orioles in front. Rodriguezs throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Tillman meant he was only charged with one earned run for his 1 2-3 innings of work, dropping his ERA from 6.84 to 6.75. Hurdle said it was too early to discuss whether Rodriguez would make his next start, though Rodriguez insists hes healthy after missing time early this season with a left knee injury. Tillman couldnt take advantage of the reprieve. Coming off a shutout win over Kansas City in his previous start, Tillman only managed to get three outs. He failed to retire a batter in the second as the first six Pittsburgh batters reached base. Brad Brach came on in relief to get out of the inning, but not until after the Orioles trailed 8-6. NOTES: Pirates closer Jason Grilli could return as early as Saturday. Grilli has been on the disabled list since sustaining a left oblique strain on April 20. He threw 20 pitches in a simulated game on Tuesday without incident ... The Orioles sent LHP Wei-Yin Chen back to Baltimore ahead of the team on Wednesday as a precaution due to concerns over weather in Pittsburgh. Chen (5-2, 3.69 ERA) is scheduled to start on Thursday against Cleveland. ... The Pirates begin a four-game series with Washington on Thursday. Edinson Volquez (1-4, 4.71) starts for the Pirates against Washingtons Blake Treinen (0-1, 0.77). cheap jerseys ' ' '
