Cardinals, Cubs Nab Victories

Looking to avoid getting swept for the first time this season one night after getting shut out, Stephen Piscotty and the St. Louis Cardinals struck early and often.

Piscotty homered twice and drove in five runs and Michael Wacha pitched six solid innings to help the Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 10-3 Sunday.

Jason Heyward had three hits as St. Louis improved its major league-leading record to 78-45 and averted a sweep. Wacha (15-4) picked up his fourth straight win and added to his career-best win total by allowing just one run on four hits. He struck out three and walked two.

The Cardinals scored four in the first against rookie Colin Rea, who was making his third start. San Diego made two errors in the first inning and the Cardinals capitalized with three hits, including Piscotty's two-run triple.

Cubs 9, Braves 3

After watching his team's latest homer-fueled win, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon took a few minutes to address the most frightening hit of the day.

Kris Bryant homered twice and Kyle Schwarber connected an inning after lining a hard foul ball that sent a fan to the hospital Sunday as the Cubs beat Atlanta 9-3, the Braves' seventh straight loss.

The game was briefly delayed in the first inning after Schwarber's foul liner struck a female fan sitting just past the camera well on the first base side. The woman was carried off on a stretcher and taken to a hospital. The Cubs said she was conscious, but had no further details on her condition.

Several fans around the majors have been hit this season by fouls and flying bats, and Major League Baseball has said it is studying the issue of crowd safety.

The Cubs hit five home runs, including a leadoff shot by Dexter Fowler in the first inning and a three-run drive by Miguel Montero. Jason Hammel (7-5) allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings. He also contributed an RBI single as the Cubs finished off a four-game sweep.

Mariners 8, White Sox 6

This time around, the Seattle Mariners didn't let their lead slip away. Almost, but not quite. Robinson Cano had a two-run homer and Nelson Cruz doubled in two runs to help the Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 8-6 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Seattle, which lost in extra innings on Saturday night after blowing a two-run lead in the ninth, built a 7-1 lead through five innings, but the White Sox cut it to 7-6 with five runs in the sixth behind a pair of two-run homers.

Adam Eaton singled with one out in the sixth and scored on Tyler Saladino's double. Jose Abreu followed with his 23rd home run. After Melky Cabrera grounded out, Avisail Garcia singled, chasing starter Taijuan Walker. Logan Kensing, called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Tacoma, relieved and allowed a two-run homer to LaRoche.

Sunday, August 23 Scoreboard

Sunday, August 23

Cleveland 4, New York Yankees 3

Texas 4, Detroit 2

Arizona 4, Cincinnati 0

Philadelphia 2, Miami 0

Minnesota 4, Baltimore 3 (F/12)

Kansas City 8, Boston 6

Washington 9, Milwaukee 5

Houston 3, Los Angeles Dodgers 2 (F/10)

Chicago Cubs 9, Atlanta 3

Toronto 12, Los Angeles Angels 5

Oakland 8, Tampa Bay 2

Seattle 8, Chicago White Sox 6

St. Louis 10, San Diego 3

New York Mets 5, Colorado 1

Pittsburgh 5, San Francisco 2

Monday, August 24 Schedule (All Times Central)

Cleveland at Chicago, 1:05 p.m.

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

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

Colorado at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

Detroit at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

Boston at Chicago, 7:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Kansas City, 7:10 p.m.

St. Louis at Arizona, 9 p.m.

Oakland at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.