CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- The much-anticipated pitching matchup at Wrigley Field on Monday turned into a wash in the sense that both starters took no-decisions.
Returning to the scene of his greatest triumphs, Phillies right-hander Jake Arrieta threw six innings of one-run ball in his team's eventual 5-4 win in 10 innings, scattering eight hits and striking out four while walking two. The man who took his rotation spot with a $126-million contract was Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish, who also went six innings. He was stout for five innings before allowing three runs in the sixth, hurt by two walks he issued and some soft contact. Darvish allowed those three runs on four hits in all while striking out seven and walking three.
"I thought the first five innings were so good," Darvish said. "It was good because I pitched well in Wrigley. That made me feel better."
Darvish's 10th start of the season marked just the second time he went six innings, and manager Joe Maddon loved what he saw even though Darvish was touched up in the sixth on an seeing-eye RBI single by J.T. Realmuto and a two-run triple by Cesar Hernandez that landed just in front of Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward.
"He was outstanding, I thought," Maddon said. "He had really good stuff. He had command of his stuff and command of himself. He looked better than the game in Cincinnati. I thought that was the best game he has pitched for us."
Darvish kept his pitch count to 67 through five innings, which showcased better efficiency before he was done in by a 28-pitching sixth. Running up high pitch counts early in games has hurt Darvish for much of the season.
"It was mostly good," Darvish said of his outing. "In the sixth inning, the big situation was I had (Bryce) Harper 0-2. I walked him, and that was all. Without that, I was good."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
