Cubs Hand Cardinals 2-0 Loss, MLB Scores

CHICAGO -- Cubs catcher Miguel Montero called Jake Arrieta a freak. Chicago manager Joe Maddon said Arrieta is in such good shape he could record fitness videos, like Jane Fonda used to. Arrieta also can pitch.

Arrieta allowed three hits over seven innings and Starlin Castro had a go-ahead RBI single in a two-run seventh, leading the Chicago Cubs over the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 for their first win this season.

Backed by just two hits from Chicago's offense, Arrieta (1-0) struck out seven and walked three. He was 10-5 with a 2.53 ERA in a breakout 2014 and improved to 3-0 with a 0.74 ERA in six career starts against St. Louis.

Royals 7, White Sox 5

Lorenzo Cain made the Chicago White Sox pay after being hit by two pitches in the first two games of the series. Cain, who was hit by a pitch in the first inning, had a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth for his third hit and the Kansas City Royals beat the White Sox 7-5 Wednesday night. Cain homered off Zach Putnam (0-1), the fourth White Sox pitcher, after Alcides Escobar led off the inning with a single for his third hit.

Tigers 11, Twins 0

The top of Detroit's starting rotation looks just fine so far -- and so does the bottom of the batting order. Anibal Sanchez helped the Tigers blank Minnesota for the second straight game, Jose Iglesias had four hits and Alex Avila scored four runs in Wednesday's 11-0 rout of the Twins. Detroit had beaten Minnesota 4-0 on opening day behind star left-hander David Price, and Sanchez was impressive as well in his first start since Aug. 8. Sanchez was limited over the final two months of last season by a pectoral issue.

Phillies 4, Red Sox 2

Jeff Francoeur hit a three-run homer, Aaron Harang took a one-hitter into the seventh inning and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 Wednesday night. Making his Red Sox debut after signing an $82.5 million, four-year contract through 2019, Rick Porcello (0-1) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings.

Wednesday, April 8 Scoreboard

Detroit 11, Minnesota 0

Chicago Cubs 2, St. Louis 0

Philadelphia 4, Boston 2

New York Yankees 4, Toronto 3

Washington 2, New York Mets 1

Cincinnati 5, Pittsburgh 4

Atlanta 2, Miami 0

Tampa Bay 2, Baltimore 0

Kansas City 7, Chicago White Sox 5

Colorado 5, Milwaukee 4

Cleveland 2, Houston 0

San Francisco 5, Arizona 2

Los Angeles Dodgers 7, San Diego 4

Oakland 10, Texas 0

Los Angeles Angels 5, Seattle 3

Thursday, April 9 Schedule (All Times Central)

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 11:30 a.m.

New York at Washington, 12:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Detroit, 12:08 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Kansas City, 1:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Houston, 1:10 p.m.

Texas at Oakland, 2:35 p.m.

San Francisco at San Diego, 5:40 p.m.

Toronto at New York, 6:05 p.m.

Boston at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m.