The Chicago Cubs have gotten a staggering amount of offensive production from their pitchers in the National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants, and on Monday Jake Arrieta made history at the plate.
During the top of the second inning, Arrieta came up to the plate with two runners on, and he cracked a three-run home run over the left field wall. The home run not only broke a lengthy postseason scoreless streak for Giants starter Madison Bumgarner, it shattered an even more remarkable streak.
According to Christopher Kamka of Comcast Sportsnet Chicago, the home run by Arrieta is the first one ever surrendered by Bumgarner to an opposing pitcher in his distinguished big league career. The home run was the 139th total that he has given up in his career, and it was the first he gave up to his opponent on the mound.
The home run by Arrieta wasn’t just historic in terms of its significance to Bumgarner: it was also historic through the entire league. According to Baseball Reference’s Play Index, the Cubs are now the first team since the 1924 World Series to get two home runs from pitchers in the same series, joining the New York Giants in that category.
Travis Wood hit a home run in the second game of the series, a victory at Wrigley Field, to help the Cubs achieve the significant milestone.
