The April 3rd season opener with the Cubs will be the first game of a three-game series with the Cubs and a season-opening six-game home stand that will also include three games against the Cincinnati Reds (April 7-9).
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On Wednesday, Rizzo hit two home runs in a 7-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals to lower their magic number to one. St. Louis (76-68) stayed a half-game behind the New York Mets, a 4-3 victor in 10 innings at Washington, for the NL’s second wild-card spot. They can do it Thursday night with a win at home over Milwaukee or a St. Louis loss in San Francisco.
RAYS 8, BLUE JAYS 1 Alex Cobb pitched 6 2/3 innings to win for the first time in nearly two years, Kevin Kiermaier and Corey Dickerson hit two-run home runs, and Tampa Bay beat host Toronto.
ATLANTA – Marcell Ozuna hit a three-run homer and the Miami rallied to beat Atlanta.
Wednesday’s game was the first Lester has pitched this season in which multiple runners were caught stealing without any successful stolen bases.
Shane Greene (5-4) got the win, while Ryan Pressly (6-7) took the loss after surrendering Cabrera’s homer. In large part due to Ross’ efforts, no Cardinals runner reached second base all afternoon.
The Cubs will clinch the division this week, enjoying a shower of champagne while the Cardinals watch scoreboards and try to scrape together wins in the chase for a Wild Card spot, one in which they now find themselves trailing two other teams.
Brandon Moss puts up his 26 home run of the season in the sixth for the go-ahead two run lead. Of his four hits allowed, only two were on mild mistake pitches. Toronto played its second straight game without slugger Josh Donaldson because of a hip injury, but the team hopes to have him back in the lineup on Wednesday.
A four-game series in San Francisco figures to be tough and tight for the St. Louis Cardinals. Iwakuma (16-11) induced 10 groundouts in 6 1/3 innings, allowed one run on five hits and three walks and registered two strikeouts. The Chicago White Sox are also at home Thursday. Carlos Sanchez tripled home a pair and came home on Adam Eaton’s double to cap the uprising. Soria then yielded an RBI single to Marcus Semien.
PHILADELPHIA – Freddy Galvis continued his home run surge, hitting his 19th of the season to lead Philadelphia over Pittsburgh. Billy Williams did it three times. Walker took a flawless and into the sixth and had a no-hitter until Kole Calhoun led off the bottom of the seventh with a single. He’s won his last four decisions, including a 4-3 verdict Friday night over Milwaukee in which he didn’t have his best stuff, striking out only one in seven innings.
Gausman (8-10) and Porcello (20-4) had almost identical line scores over eight innings, each striking out six and allowing just four hits, except Porcello allowed Trumbo’s leadoff shot in the second inning.
Bumgarner (14-9) gave up three runs over 6 2/3 innings. Jordy Mercer had two hits and scored twice as the Pirates halted a four-game skid.
While the odds favor NY and San Francisco, both of whom have easier schedules, St. Louis is getting some key reinforcements for the final three weeks.
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Ross’ two-run home run in the fifth snapped a 0-for-8 streak and it was his first home run since August 17. Dan Straily gave up solo homers by Keon Broxton and Jonathan Villar but just one other hit over a career-high eight innings.
