MIAMI -- Jake Arrieta made it look easy, then made it sound easy. The Chicago Cubs right-hander had a career-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings to beat the Miami Marlins 6-1 on Wednesday. Arrieta (3-1) lowered his ERA to 1.98, and he has 55 strikeouts in 50 innings. "Im not doing anything different," he said. "Im just commanding everything down in the strike zone and trying to force early contact. Strikeouts are just a byproduct of throwing several plus pitches for strikes." Arrieta has become one of the few bright spots for the last-place Cubs, although they have been playing better lately. By taking the rubber game of the three-game set, they won consecutive road series for the first time since June 2013. Chicago went 5-5 on a three-city swing. "We had a nice trip," manager Rick Renteria said. "Thats big. Were playing some consistent baseball." Miamis Giancarlo Stanton hit his NL-leading 20th homer in the first but left the game after six innings with a bruised left wrist. Stanton said the injury wasnt serious, and he expected to be back in the lineup Thursday against the New York Mets. But his wrist was swollen and bothered him more as the game progressed. "It was getting tighter and tighter," he said. "On swings and misses, it hurts a lot." Stanton hasnt missed a game this season, and he leads the NL in homers and RBIs with 57. Thats why manager Mike Redmond took no chances with the injury. "We need this guy for the long haul," Redmond said. "He wanted to stay in, but Im thinking about tomorrow and the next day." Stanton was hurt when he hit the wall in the first inning chasing a flyball. Nate Schierholtz hit a three-run homer for the Cubs. Starlin Castro had two RBI doubles and single batting cleanup. "I like batting fourth because there are usually runners on base," Castro said. "I just like that they put me in a spot and leave me there. If they keep moving me around, it breaks my concentration." Arrieta allowed five hits and one walk. He also doubled for his first career extra-base hit, but Renteria was more impressed with his pitching. Arrieta has 27 strikeouts in 20 innings over his past three starts. "I think he is commanding his fastball better, and his breaking ball is starting to get some bite and location," Renteria said. "Hes got great stuff, and hes very composed." The Marlins agreed. "He was using his cutter in good spots and staying on the corners," Stanton said. "He did a good job." Schierholtz was in a 3-for-26 slump before he hit his third homer off Nathan Eovaldi (4-3) in the Cubs four-run sixth. Eovaldi, back from paternity leave after joining his wife in Texas for the birth of their first child Monday, declined to blame any distractions for his performance. "Youve got to be able to come back and perform," he said. "If anything, I was excited to get back to the guys and play." NOTES: The Marlins plan to recall RHP Kevin Gregg from Triple-A New Orleans on Thursday, and C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (concussion) will be activated from the disabled list. To make room for them, the Marlins optioned LHP Dan Jennings to New Orleans and optioned C J.T. Realmuto to Double-A Jacksonville. ... Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade sat next to Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria in the second row and drew a big ovation when he was shown on the video scoreboard. ... LHP Randy Wolf, who was designed for assignment Monday by the Marlins, opted for free agency. ... A Marlins promotion for disadvantaged children boosted attendance to 27,032. ... Marlins RHP Steve Cishek turned 28 Wednesday. Cubs OF Chris Coghlan turned 29. ... Cubs starters have allowed 32 homers, fewest in the majors. ... When torrential rain with wind gusts of up to 53 mph hit during Tuesdays game, the Marlins retractable roof leaked in six or seven places, which was to be expected given the severity of the storm, team president David Samson said. ... Marlins LHP Andrew Heaney makes his major-league debut Thursday against the New York Mets and RHP Zack Wheeler (2-7, 4.38). ... The Cubs open a series at home Friday when Edwin Jackson (4-7, 5.11) pitches against Pittsburghs Charlie Morton (4-7, 3.09). Lance Johnson White Sox Jersey . Alvarez hit his first career home run, pitched six innings and hurt his right hamstring while running the bases in the Miami Marlins 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. Steve Carlton White Sox Jersey .com) - Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been selected as the NHLs Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Friday. https://www.cheapwhitesox.com/914e-chief...-white-sox.html. Top-seeded Djokovic, who is making only his second appearance this year after reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, was a 6-3, 6-3 winner over 54th-ranked Istomin of Uzbekistan. "It wasnt as easy as the scoreline indicates," said Djokovic, who has won in Dubai on four occasions. Alex Colome Jersey . Golden States second straight road win wasnt painless. David Lee scored a season-high 29 points -- 13 in the fourth quarter -- and Nate Robinson added 17 points, leading the Warriors to a 105-95 win Tuesday night over the road-worn Cleveland Cavaliers. Tom Seaver Jersey .com) - Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending May 11.MOOSE JAW, Sask. -- Martin-Olivier Cardinal had a goal and an assist and the Grenadiers de Chateauguay used a three-goal third period to defeat the Moose Jaw Generals 4-2 on Friday in preliminary-round action at the Telus Cup midget hockey championship. Alexandre Desgagnes, Brandon McCulloch and Mikael Sabourin all scored in the third for the Grenadiers (1-1-2), who trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes of play. Etienne Montpetit stopped 28 shots for the win. Braydon Delorme and Regan Nagy supplied the scoring for the Generals (0-2-2). Moose Jaws Grant Naherniak kicked out 24-of-29 shots for Moose Jaw. In other preliminary play, Lane Michasiw stopped 17 shots for the shutout as the Prince Albert Mintos beat the Halifax McDonalds 3-0. Kody White, Teal Sobkowicz aand Jared Blaquiere had the goals for the Mintos (3-0-2).dddddddddddd Justin Ritcey made 26 saves for Halifax (1-3-1). Earlier in the day, Jake Kryski, Tanner Campbell, Tyson Jost and Carter Hikichi all scored two goals as the Okanagan Rockets defeated the Toronto Young Nationals 11-2 Linden Hora, Branden Wagner and Liam Finley had the other goals for the Rockets (1-1-3). Maxwell Routledge had both goals for the Young Nationals (3-2-0). Brendan Barry made 28 saves for Okanagan. Oliver Jacobs allowed five goals on 32 shots before giving way to Izzy Benigno, who stopped just 14-of-20 shots in 22 minutes of relief for Toronto. Prince Albert, Toronto, Okanagan and Chateauguay all advance to the semifinal, which will take place on Saturday. ' ' '