Lester supplied the only run Chicago would need with his fourth hit of the season, a one-out RBI single in the third that scored Javier Baez, who led off the inning with a double.
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Luis Sardinas had an RBI single among his three hits for the Padres. “We haven’t been very good at home, and we’ve got to figure out how to start playing better”. I’d say Lester has to also be in the Cy Young conversation, along with Kyle Hendricks.
Anthony Rizzo slugged a pair of homers Wednesday in the Cubs’ rout of the Cardinals.
“Today was one of those days were he had both working and he wasn’t missing over the middle and he was even throwing some curveballs and change-ups to keep you off of everything”, Moss said. The Cubs (93-52) clinched at least a tie for the division title and can pop the champagne Thursday night with a victory over Milwaukee at Wrigley Field.
All-Star arms are on the mound at AT&T Park for the opener of a critical, four-game series between NL wild-card contenders.
St. Louis remained a half-game behind the New York Mets for the second wild-card spot. A win Thursday not only would clinch the division title, but would put the Cubs at 42 games over for the first time for the franchise since the last day of the last pennant-winning season, 1945 (98-56).
Kershaw gave up one hit without a walk, pitching through two rain delays in his first career start at Yankee Stadium. He entered the game having allowed just 12 homers this season and his home run per nine innings average of 0.63 was second in the National League to the Mets’ Noah Syndergaard (0.52).
“You guys have seen our team”, Lester said with a smirk to the reporters crammed into a clubhouse hallway for a makeshift press conference. “The pitch to Moss I went back and looked at it and I felt I made my pitch and it just left the yard”. They’re just the start of what makes this team special. One retired Kolten Wong on a comebacker to end the eighth inning; Lester simply ran all the way to first base with the ball.
More defensive props to David Ross, who threw out two Cardinals trying to steal (Aledmys Diaz and Randal Grichuk). Nelson has had a rough time of it against the Cubs this season, including his last outing against the North Siders when he surrendered six earned runs and gave up two home runs in five innings of work in an August loss at Wrigley Field. It’s his second straight 100-RBI season. Sep.
“It’s been the Cardinals’ division for many years now, ever since I gotten over here”, Rizzo said.
The Cardinals are 76-69 and 33-41 at home. When we go on the road, we play a little more loose, a little more relaxed.
Dylan Bundy (9-5) gave up three runs over 5 1/3 innings. RHP Michael Wacha is expected to be activated off the disabled list tomorrow and could be headed to the bullpen.
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Cubs: LHP Mike Montgomery (1-1, 3.67 ERA) will kick off a four-game series as Chicago hosts Milwaukee on Thursday. Starter Jason Hammel gave up four runs in the Cubs’ only loss of the series, further endangering Hammel’s playoff roster spot but endearing himself to bar owners around Clark and Addison happily anticipating the early weekend crowd surge. Through 27 starts he’s compiled a 15-7 record with a league leading 2.03 ERA.
