Cubs win 9th straight, beat White Sox 6-3

CHICAGO (AP) It wasn't quite a masterpiece, but the Chicago Cubs kept their incredible run going Saturday night. Jake Arrieta pitched into the seventh inning

CHICAGO (AP) It wasn't quite a masterpiece, but the Chicago Cubs kept their incredible run going Saturday night.

Jake Arrieta pitched into the seventh inning and the Cubs won their ninth straight to match their longest streak in seven seasons, beating the crosstown White Sox 6-3 Saturday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

''This was more paint by numbers, Dick Tracy, maybe a little glitter,'' Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. ''Remember those? You'd paint it up, you'd struggle, maybe a little glue and then the glitter comes on top. Your mom really loved that on the carpeting.''

The big picture has developed quite nicely for the Cubs.

They matched their longest streak since they reeled off nine in a row during the 2008 NL Central championship season and made it 15 wins in 16 games. They remained 1 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh for the first wild card.

On Sunday, the Cubs will try for their first 10-game winning streak since a 12-game run in 2001.

Arrieta (14-6) improved to 8-1 in his past 11 starts, allowing three runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Jorge Soler had two hits and two RBIs. Addison Russell doubled twice and scored twice.

Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Dexter Fowler each added two hits and the Cubs had 12 in all.

''They made some mistakes,'' White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. ''We didn't capitalize on them, and we made some mistakes and they capitalized. They put some stuff in play and they scored when we made some mistakes.''

White Sox starter Jose Quintana (6-10) lasted six innings, allowing three runs and seven hits.

Rizzo and Soler had RBI singles in a three-run seventh that saw the North Siders break open a 3-2 game.

Hector Rondon worked the ninth for his 21st save in 25 chances.

''It is awesome,'' said Schwarber, who had a beer can thrown at him while chasing a ball in the left-field corner. ''We have a really good ballclub. We're playing to our potential right now.''

Adam LaRoche and Alexei Ramirez cut the lead to 3-2 with back-to-back two-out doubles in the sixth before the Cubs broke it open in the seventh.

The Cubs' David Ross singled leading off against Jake Petricka and scored from second on a wild throw by Ramirez as the shortstop tried to turn an inning-ending double-play against Schwarber.

Ventura, who thought his team was short-changed by the officials the past two games, was tossed by plate umpire Joe West after Rizzo's RBI single against Zach Duke. It was Ventura's second ejection this season.

Soler followed with an RBI single of his own against Matt Albers that made it 6-2.

GREAT GRAB

White Sox third baseman Tyler Saladino made a spectacular catch in the top of the second when he leaped to his left to snag Chris Denorfia's hard line drive and hung on after hitting the ground.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cubs: Soler showed up with a sore calf and served as the designated hitter after being listed as the right fielder. Schwarber moved from DH to left field, with Chris Denorfia going from left to right. Manager Joe Maddon hopes to have Soler play the outfield Sunday.

White Sox: Ventura said OF J.B. Shuck (strained left hamstring) is ''doing fine'' on his rehab assignment and has not experienced any setbacks. Shuck has been on the DL since Aug. 1.

UP NEXT

Cubs: RHP Dan Haren (8-7, 3.55 ERA) makes his third start for the Cubs following a trade from Miami and looks to build on his first win for them. He beat Milwaukee after a shaky outing at Pittsburgh.

White Sox: LHP Chris Sale (10-7, 3.47) tries to make it two straight wins after giving up seven runs in back-to-back losses. The four-time All-Star pitched into the eighth against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday following two rough starts against Boston and Tampa Bay.