St. Louis (58-53) dropped a half-game behind Miami for the National League’s second wild-card spot, pending the outcome of the Marlins’ game in Colorado.
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The St. Louis Cardinals lock horns with the Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium in Saturday action.
“This is the first time we’ve had to hear about it in a while”, manager Mike Matheny said.
Mike Foltynewicz set the tone for the capper of the Atlanta Braves’ feel-good weekend.
Atlanta has lost eight of its last 11 games at St. Louis.
Brewers leadoff man Jonathan Villar reached base six times and scored three runs and Keon Broxton went 5 for 5 with two RBIs.
Atlanta took the lead in the first after challenging a neighborhood play at second base.
Cardinals: Adam Wainwright has a 1.99 ERA his last six starts and is 8-2 with a 2.95 ERA against Atlanta, which drafted him in the first round in 2000 and traded him to St. Louis in a deal for J.D. Drew in December 2003. “I’m sorry we didn’t, that was my fault, but the luck was certainly not on my side and sometimes you need it”.
The Cardinals won despite managing only two hits off four Braves pitchers and turning seven walks into just one run.
The Cubs’ seventh straight win improved them to a major league-best 69-41 and marked their 10th series sweep this season.
“It’s pretty dadgum dark, but nobody in this clubhouse is quitting”, Wainwright said.
Wainwright got through six frames, giving up nine hits and six earned runs while walking three and striking out three.
Carlos Martinez surrendered an unearned run in the first and then surrendered three-run homers to the Braves’ Freddie Freeman and Adonis Garcia on Saturday.
Kyle Hendricks is nearly certain to be a big part of that as well, especially if he keeps pitching like he has the past three months.
“It was awesome to see a lead like that, especially with their ace”, Foltynewicz said.
Jim Johnson earned his eighth save in 11 chances.
The Braves turned away a serious threat in the sixth thanks to the arm of Jeff Francoeur.
“It was a grind most of the day”, Foltynewicz said. “It’s just one of the days that I went out there to play and not to compete”.
“I should’ve caught that ball, saved us three runs”, Wainwright said. He’d been batting just.205 with runners in scoring position before his 19th homer put Atlanta up 4-1, and Garcia’s ninth of the season made it a 7-2 cushion in the fifth. “Those two three-run homers will cost you pretty big, but at times his stuff looked really sharp”. Atlanta claimed RHP Chaz Roe off waivers from the Orioles and designated OF-IF Brandon Snyder for assignment.
Cardinals All-Star INF Matt Carpenter returned from the disabled list after missing 24 games with a right oblique strain.
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Miguel Sano homered twice and drove in four runs as the Minnesota Twins took two of three in a series between the teams with the AL’s worst records by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on Sunday. The over is 6-1-1 in the Cardinals last 8 overall and is 6-1-1 in their last 8 on grass while going 12-4-2 in their last 18 Saturday games.
