Cincinnati: Anthony Rizzo homered for the third consecutive game on Friday night, and Jon Lester gave a fitting follow-up to Jake Arrieta’s no-hitter by going seven innings and leading the Chicago Cubs to an 8-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
The Cubs improved to 13-4, the best record in the majors and one of the best starts in the last 100 years. They also opened 13-4 in 1908 — the last time they won the World Series — and in 1970. The 1907 team went 14-3 on its way to a Series title.
Arrieta threw his second career no-hitter in the series opener on Thursday night, a 16-0 win. Lester (2-1) limited the Reds to five hits, including Zack Cozart’s solo homer, and one walk.
Chicago pulled off its first triple play in nearly 10 years to secure Jose Quintana’s scoreless outing and beat Texas 5-0.
Quintana retired 11 straight through six innings until he loaded the bases on Prince Fielder’s double, Adrian Beltre’s single and a walk. Mitch Moreland drilled a ball down the right field line that Adam Eaton caught on the run as the runners took off.
In Denver, Brandon Barnes hit a tiebreaking two-run triple in the eighth inning, lifting Colorado past Los Angeles 7-5.
Nolan Arenado and Ryan Raburn homered for the Rockies, who have won their last four against the Dodgers.
Adrian Gonzalez homered and singled to drive in three runs and Corey Seager hit a two-run homer as part of a three-run first inning for the Dodgers.
Trailing 5-4, the Rockies evened the score on D.J. LeMahieu’s sacrifice fly in the seventh. Arenado drew a one-out walk in the eighth off Chris Hatcher (2-2) and Mark Reynolds singled up the middle. One out later, Barnes, who entered in the eighth as a defensive replacement for Raburn, tripled off the wall in right-centrefield to drive in his first runs of the season.
