Eduardo Rodriguez handed the Chicago Cubs two hits in seven innings and left with the lead still 2-0.
The Associated Press reported that Rodriguez (14-4) struck out nine Wednesday in a 2-0 Arizona Diamondbacks win, his fourth straight victory. ESPN's box lists 7 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 3 walks, and 9 strikeouts. His ERA after the start is 2.50. Brandyn Garcia (hold, 15) and Juan Morillo (save, 2) finished a two-hitter.
Arizona is 71-63. Chicago is 76-58. The AP wrote that Chicago holds the first NL wild-card position and has dropped five of its last seven. ESPN's player log confirms the win and lists Rodriguez's previous start as 5 2/3 scoreless innings against Cincinnati on Aug. 21.
A no-hitter into the fifth, then a call at third
He did not allow a hit Wednesday until Tyrone Taylor's bloop single leading off the fifth. Taylor later stole second. Those two hits, Taylor's single and Pete Crow-Armstrong's sixth-inning double, were Chicago's only ones.
Crow-Armstrong doubled to open the sixth and reached third with one out. Rodriguez left him there. The AP described the sequence that followed: with two outs, Crow-Armstrong moved far down the line as if he were stealing home, Rodriguez threw a quick pitch that sent him back, and Crow-Armstrong argued that Rodriguez had balked.
Third-base coach Quintin Berry restrained him after the umpires conferred and ruled there was no balk.
Chicago went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six on base, ESPN's box shows. Seiya Suzuki drew two of Chicago's four walks. Ian Happ pinch-hit for Taylor in the ninth and grounded out.
Matthew Boyd (8-3) lasted six innings and allowed three hits, one run, two walks, and five strikeouts. The AP said Boyd had allowed 11 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings over his previous two starts, then erased walks with inning-ending double plays in the second and third Wednesday. Taylor threw Nolan Arenado out at second from deep in the left-field corner in the fourth.
