Cubs show true grit in 1-run victory over Cardinals

Saturday, July 26, 2014

NATIONAL LEAGUE

CUBS 7, CARDINALS 6

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs don't have the look of a team more interested in draft position than on-field success.

One day after the Central Division cellar-dwellers couldn't have looked worse in a 13-3 embarrassment against the lowly San Diego Padres, they showed some grit in a come-from-behind, 7-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, who suffered their fourth consecutive loss on Friday.

A persistent wind at their backs, the division rivals treated the largest crowd at Wrigley Field this season to five home runs and 23 hits.

"A good team win," said manager Rick Renteria, whose club trailed 3-0 before even getting a chance to bat. "The crowd was buzzing all day. It was a pretty neat environment. Obviously, the fans were into it."

Luis Valbuena hit a decisive two-run home run in the seventh to decide the see-saw affair.

Kevin Siegrist (1-2) hit Anthony Rizzo with a full-count pitch to start the inning. One batter later, Valbuena launched the first pitch into the center-field bleachers, his first home run against a left-hander in 37 at-bats this season.

"I was looking for a fastball, and I got a fastball right there," Valbuena said. "That's why I got aggressive."

"We had the match-ups we wanted right there," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "We wanted (a left-hander) in that situation, in that part of the lineup, and a lefty ended up getting him."

The Cardinals tied the score 5-5 on solo home runs by Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday in the fifth inning. Pinch-hitter Oscar Taveras singled to break the tie in the sixth, but the lead was short-lived.

Justin Grimm (3-2) pitched a scoreless inning for the victory. Hector Rondon retired the side in the ninth for his 12th save in 15 chances.

Cubs starter Travis Wood did well to survive five innings after a rocky start. He allowed five runs -- two earned -- and seven hits with one walk.

Wood aided his cause with a solo home run off Joe Kelly in the fourth inning, his third of the season. He became the first Cubs pitcher since Carlos Zambrano (2009) with at least 10 RBI in a season.

"They fought off a lot of pitches and made me work," Wood said. "I was only able to go five, but luckily, I was able to keep it close and we were able to pull it out."

Ryan Sweeney's three-run home run pulled Chicago even at 3-3 in the second inning. Kelly had not allowed an earned run in 18 1/3 innings against the Cubs before then.

One inning later, Sweeney singled home Valbuena, who had walked, for a 4-3 lead.

Kelly lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits and two walks.

St. Louis struck first with three unearned three runs in the opening inning, when Wood was forced to throw 32 pitches largely because of two errors behind him.

Carpenter and Holliday singled, then rookie second baseman Arismendy Alcantara threw away a potential double-play grounder that allowed a run to score.

One out later, Jon Jay hit a two-run double, and when left fielder Chris Coghlan allowed the ball to get past him, the batter advanced to third base on the second error of the inning.

THURSDAY LATE GAMES

TIGERS 6, ANGELS 4 Nick Castellanos drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a double in the sixth inning and Max Scherzer won his fourth consecutive decision, leading visiting Detroit to a victory over Los Angeles. Scherzer (12-3) allowed three runs and six hits over seven innings and struck out 11. It was the fourth time this season and 22nd in his career that the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner had double digits in strikeouts. Scherzer, the winning pitcher in the All-Star game, is 4-0 with a 2.21 ERA in six starts since giving up 10 runs over four innings in an 11-4 home loss to Kansas City on June 17.

ORIOLES 4, MARINERS 0 Wie-Yen Chen allowed five hits over eight innings and Delmon Young hit a three-run home run to give Baltimore a victory over host Seattle. Chen (11-3), who has won his past four starts, scattered five singles, walked one and struck out three. His 11 wins ties him for third-most in the American League. On the road, Chen is 6-1 with a 3.94 ERA in nine starts. Darren O'Day finished with a routine ninth inning. It was Baltimore's eighth shutout. The Mariners have been shut out 12 times, tying Tampa Bay for the most in the American League.

Sports on 07/26/2014