All that mattered Quinton Coples Limited Jersey to Jake Arrieta was the Cubs stopped their recent skid.
Arrieta improved to 9-1 in his past 12 starts. The right-hander gave up four hits, struck out seven and walked one while lowering his ERA to 2.30. Arrieta threw 107 pitches, and with the lopsided score not to mention an eye toward the postseason, manager Joe Maddon decided not to leave him in a little longer.
''I want him to be well for that moment,'' Maddon said. ''Regardless of how they feel right now, you've got to make those decisions.''
The Cubs got back to winning after they gave up a combined http://www.jetsshopnfl.com/muhammad-wilkerson-jersey_c-421.html 25 runs and 40 hits in a two-game sweep by Detroit. With Pittsburgh beating San Francisco on Thursday, Chicago trails the Pirates by four games for the top wild card and leads the Giants by four games for the second spot.
Arrieta (16-6) had his 13th consecutive quality start, the longest streak by a Cubs pitcher in 23 years. He allowed an unearned run on four hits in six-plus innings.
''Once we got the three runs, I'm feeling pretty good about my chances to win,'' Arrieta said.
Arrieta, who took over the major league lead for wins, walked one and struck out eight, lowering his ERA to 2.22, second in the NL behind Los Angeles Dodgers' Zack Greinke's 1.67.
Hector Rondon pitched the ninth for his 24th save in 28 chances. He's given up two runs over his last 39 innings (0.46 ERA).
Montero added a two-run homer in the fourth and Castro, who was a triple shy of the cycle, hit a solo shot in the sixth.
''That might have been Starlin's best http://www.officialjaguarsnflstore.com/Jared_Odrick_Jersey day of the year,'' Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. ''Not just hi offense. He made some nice plays on defense too.''
Matt Cain (2-4) lasted five innings, giving up six runs and eight hits. He walked two and struck out three. Cain lost his third straight decision and fell to 0-3 over six starts since his last win on July 22.
In nine innings against the Cubs this season, Cain has allowed 11 earned runs and 14 hits.
''He was locked in the first two innings and just lost it there,'' Giants' manager Bruce Bochy said. ''It just looked like his slot changed a little bit and the ball started flattening out.''
Arrieta retired the first 10 batters he faced before allowing a single to Matt Duffy, who had two hits. The lone run scored as a result of his throwing error in the sixth. Brandon Belt drove in the run on a groundout.
Andrew Susac drove in three with a double and Gregor Blanco drove in a run in the eighth that pulled the Giants to 8-5.
Arrieta also doubled Ted Ginn Jr Black Jersey and scored a run on Brandon Crawford's fielding error, ending a season-best eight-game errorless streak for the Giants.