Wada takes no-hitter into seventh as Cubs beat O's 2-1

They did not get no-hit, but they did get swept. And for the first time since late May, the Orioles have a three-game losing streak.

Former Orioles farmhand Tsuyoshi Wada took a no-hitter into the seventh today as the Chicago Cubs beat the Orioles 2-1 to complete a three-game sweep.

The Orioles get swept for just the second time this season and are 73-55. Their American League East lead has decreased from nine games to six as the Yankees completed a sweep of the Chicago White Sox today.

The Orioles have their first losing road trip of this season as they went 4-5 in Cleveland and in Chicago against the White Sox and Cubs.

Leading 2-0, Wada lost the no-hitter on the first batter of the seventh inning. Steve Pearce hit a solo homer to left field on an 0-1 88 mph fastball. For Pearce, it was No. 14. Over his last seven games, Pearce is 10-for-30 (.333) with five doubles, three homers and four RBIs.

That homer was the Orioles' only hit of the day as they went 1-for-28. They scored just four runs on 13 hits in three games at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs took a 2-0 lead on Miguel Gonzalez. Arismendy Alcantara hit a solo homer, his fourth, on a 2-1 pitch in the fifth. An inning later, the Cubs got back-to-back doubles from Chris Coghlan and Anthony Rizzo.

In his first big league start since Aug. 7, Gonzalez went 6 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and two runs, with no walks and three strikeouts. He falls to 6-7 with an ERA of 3.75.

In his last seven starts, Gonzalez has pitched to an ERA of 2.49.

The Orioles had gone 74 games since their last three-game losing streak, and that was the longest stretch this year in the majors. They lost four in a row from May 27-30. The only time they were swept previously this season in a three-game series was May 12-14 by Detroit at Camden Yards.

Now the Orioles return to the Yard, where they open an 11-game homestand Monday night against Tampa Bay when Chris Tillman (10-5, 3.55 ERA) faces Jake Odorizzi (9-10, 3.83 ERA).