Carpenter's Homers Lead Cardinals, Rizzo's Shot Gives Cubs Win

Matt Carpenter returned to his comfort zone Thursday night. Carpenter hit a pair of home runs and Greg Garcia's bases-loaded walk capped a three-run rally in the ninth inning as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Colorado Rockies 9-8.

Carpenter went 4 for 5 with four RBI after moving back to the leadoff spot. It was his first career multihomer game and he has a career-high 12 home runs this season.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't comfortable there," Carpenter said. "It's not to say that I can't hit in other positions. Today might have bought myself a couple of more games there."

Carpenter is hitting .370 (34 for 92) with six homers and 17 RBI in the leadoff position. He hit .225 (56 for 249) with six homers and 33 RBI in the 2-hole.

Cubs 5, Brewers 2

Chicago was struggling before Anthony Rizzo got the Cubs back on track with one mighty swing in Milwaukee. Rizzo hit a three-run homer with two out in the eighth inning, and lifting the Cubs to a 5-2 victory over the Brewers on Thursday night.

"The whole night, it wasn't going our way," Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. "But I liked the way we worked. And then eventually Riz steps up and does what he can do."

The Cubs won for the third time in four games since they were swept in a weekend series against lowly Philadelphia. Rizzo finished with three hits and Dexter Fowler went 2 for 4.

Jimmy Nelson pitched seven innings of two-hit ball for Milwaukee, but Chicago rallied in the eighth. Addison Russell and Fowler singled against Jeremy Jeffress before Will Smith (4-2) came in.

Red Sox 8, White Sox 2

Steven Wright and the slumping Red Sox looked like a long shot against Chris Sale and the surging White Sox on Thursday night. Then Wright's knuckleball came alive, Sale had his worst start since April, and Chicago's seven-game winning streak came to a surprising end.

Wright pitched seven effective innings and David Ortiz went 3 for 3 with two RBI, leading Boston to an 8-2 victory.

"It was nice. Our guys did an unbelievable job because I didn't realize how hard (Sale) threw," said Wright, who had lost his previous two starts since being called up from the minors. "Our guys put together some good at-bats."

Xander Bogaerts also had three hits in Boston's third win in 15 games, and Rusney Castillo homered in the seventh. Brock Holt had a key two-run single.

Thursday, July 30 Scoreboard

San Diego 8, New York Mets 7

Washington 1, Miami 0

Detroit 9, Baltimore 8

Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 1

Toronto 5, Kansas City 2

Cincinnati 15, Pittsburgh 5

St. Louis 9, Colorado 8

Boston 8, Chicago White Sox 2

Texas 7, New York Yankees 6

Chicago Cubs 5, Milwaukee 2

Minnesota 9, Seattle 5

Houston 3, Los Angeles Angels 0

Cleveland 3, Oakland 1

Friday, July 31 Schedule (All Times Central)

Detroit at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Atlanta at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Kansas City at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

Washington at New York, 6:10 p.m.

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

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

San Diego at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

San Francisco at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

New York at Chicago, 7:10 p.m.

Chicago at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Seattle at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Arizona at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

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

Cleveland at Oakland, 8:35 p.m.

Los Angeles at Los Angeles, 9:10 p.m.