CHICAGO — Marcus Stroman pitched a one-hitter, and the Chicago Cubs beat the major league leading Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 on Monday.
Stroman (5-4) dazzled in his fourth complete game and second shutout in nine major league seasons. His only other shutout was against the Cubs during his 2014 rookie season with the Toronto Blue Jays.
He set a season high with 105 pitches and matched his high with eight strikeouts. The right-hander walked one in winning his third straight start and helping the Cubs bounce back from a weekend sweep by Cincinnati.
The only hit Stroman allowed was when Wander Franco delivered a clean single to left leading off the seventh. Stroman then walked Brandon Lowe but got out of that jam by getting Randy Arozarena to fly out and Josh Lowe to ground into a double play.
The only other Rays runner to reach base was when Luke Raley was hit by a pitch leading off the third. Chicago posted its sixth shutout of the season.
Stroman raised both arms and got a big ovation when he retired Franco on a grounder to first to end the game, just the third shutout against the Rays this year.
The Cubs got their run in the fourth when Seiya Suzuki led off with a single, took second on a wild throw by third baseman Taylor Walls and scored on Mike Tauchman’s sacrifice fly. That was all Chicago needed to come away with the win after getting outscored 25-10 in a three-game sweep by Cincinnati.
Rays rookie Taj Bradley (3-2) was a tough-luck loser in dropping his second straight start, allowing just one unearned run and three hits in 5⅔ innings. The 22-year-old rookie right-hander struck out eight and walked one.