Ryan Howard snapped an 0-for-35 skid, the worst slump of his career, with a seventh-inning double in the second game.
By Sam Bush
The Phillies and Chicago Cubs are like two ships passing in the night.
From a great distance.
Like 1,000 miles!
Jake Arrieta pitched eight strong innings for his major league-leading 19th win, and Starlin Castro homered to lead the Cubs past the Phillies 5-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Friday night.
In the second game,Kyle Schwarber homered twice to lead the Cubs to a 7-3 win and a sweep of the doubleheader.
Addison Russell hit a two-run double and Kris Bryant set a club rookie record in the opener with his 87th RBI for Chicago, which entered play nine games ahead of San Francisco for the second NL wild-card spot. The Cubs have won seven of their last eight.
Aaron Altherr homered in the first game for the Phils, who have lost 14 of 18. Ryan Howard snapped an 0-for-35 skid, the worst slump of his career, with a seventh-inning double in the second game.
”That was nice to see,” Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said of Howard snapping the skid. ”It happens to the best of them. We’re just hoping he’s going to get hot again.”
The nightcap was necessitated by Thursday night’s rainout.
The only blemish for Arrieta was Altherr’s second-inning solo homer, which halted his streak of consecutive innings without an earned run at 30 2-3.
Adam Morgan (5-6) allowed four runs and seven hits in five-plus innings.
”I got some balls over the plate and they’re a good-hitting team,” Morgan said.
In the second game, Kyle Hendricks (7-6) gave up three runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings to earn the win in his first-ever start against the Phillies.
Alec Asher (0-3), making his third start since the Phillies acquired him in the trade that sent Cole Hamels to Texas, allowed six runs and seven hits in five innings. Asher has allowed 17 earned runs in 14 1-3 innings.
The win keeps the Cubs in excellent shape to make the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
”Everybody’s thinking about October,” Hendricks said. ”We can smell it.”
