Braves Edge Cardinals, Phillies Trounce Cubs

More than four years after Adonis Garcia defected from Cuba, he hit his first major league home run. His timing could not have been much better for the Atlanta Braves.

Garcia broke a 2-2 tie when he led off the sixth inning by homering on a 1-0 fastball from Michael Wacha that carried the Braves to a 3-2 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday.

A 30-year-old who was released this spring after three years in the New York Yankees' organization, Garcia was promoted Friday when Atlanta traded Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson to the New York Mets. He went 1 for 3 Saturday and added his biggest hit yet to help the Braves avoid a three-game sweep.

Another Braves rookie, right-hander Matt Wisler (5-1), allowed seven hits and walked three in seven innings, his longest outing since beating the Mets in his debut last month. Wisler struck out only two but was able to take advantage of a Cardinals' lineup that rested regulars Yadier Molina, Jhonny Peralta and Mark Reynolds.

Phillies 11, Cubs 5

All of a sudden, the major league-worst Philadelphia Phillies don't look so awful. Ryan Howard homered for the second straight day, rookie Aaron Nola got his first win and the Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs 11-5 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

Maikel Franco also went deep as the Phillies (37-63) finished with 17 hits while getting their eighth win in nine games since the All-Star break. Franco and Domonic Brown each drove in three runs a day after Cole Hamels threw no-hitter against the Cubs.

Manager Pete Mackanin was almost as impressed about his team's error-free play and 40 hits -- including 21 for extra-bases -- in the series as he was about Hamel's 13-strikeout gem on Saturday.

Nola (1-1) allowed four runs and five hits in 7 2/3 innings in his second career start. The touted prospect also had an RBI single in Philadelphia's three-run fourth.

White Sox 2, Indians 1

The Chicago White Sox were pretty happy with a little role reversal in Cleveland. Carlos Rodon pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning, leading the White Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Indians Sunday to complete a four-game sweep.

Carlos Sanchez homered for the second straight day for Chicago, which was 4-16 at Progressive Field since 2013 coming into the series. The White Sox never trailed in the series and outscored the faltering Indians 26-5.

Cleveland (45-52) has fallen into last place in the AL Central, losing six straight at home and is 19-30 at Progressive Field.

Sunday, July 26 Scoreboard

New York Mets 3, Los Angeles Dodgers 2 (F/10)

Chicago White Sox 2, Cleveland 1

Baltimore 5, Tampa Bay 2

Pittsburgh 3, Washington 1

Kansas City 5, Houston 1

New York Yankees 7, Minnesota 2

Atlanta 3, St. Louis 2

Philadelphia 11, Chicago Cubs 5

Los Angeles Angels 13, Texas 7

San Francisco 4, Oakland 3

Seattle 6, Toronto 5 (F/10)

San Diego 3, Miami 2

Colorado 17, Cincinnati 7

Arizona 3, Milwaukee 0

Boston 11, Detroit 1

Monday, July 27 Schedule (All Times Central)

Atlanta at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Chicago at Boston, 6:10 p.m.

Kansas City at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Detroit at Tampa Bay, 6:10 p.m.

New York at Texas, 7:00 p.m.

Colorado at Chicago, 7:05 p.m.

Cincinnati at St. Louis, 7:15 p.m.

Arizona at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m.