Lackey, Cubs Hand Cardinals Defeat, MLB Scores

John Lackey had a little extra something in the tank for his old team.

The 37-year-old right-hander struck out 11 in seven innings of four-hit ball and delivered an RBI single, leading the Chicago Cubs over the St. Louis Cardinals 5-0 Monday night.

"I've been known to be able to focus a little bit, I guess," Lackey said. "I kind of like this sort of situation."

"You could tell he was amped up," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.

Jason Heyward, playing at Busch Stadium for the first time since leaving to sign with Chicago, was 0 for 4 at the plate, made two nice catches in right field and was booed throughout.

"Oh yeah, you hear it. It's fun, it's cool, whatever," Heyward said. "They don't boo too often, so it must be somebody important or somebody doing something worth booing."

Dexter Fowler homered for the second time in three days for the Cubs, a major league-best 10-3 and off to their best start since 1970. Chicago has won 15 of its last 16 regular-season road games, going 6-1 this year.

Fowler homered in the sixth, and rookie shortstop Aledmys Diaz misplayed a potential double-play grounder in the Cubs' three-run seventh, throwing the ball wildly for an error as a run scored. Addison Russell had a sacrifice fly and Lackey, who entered with a .111 career batting average, singled for a 4-0 lead and his seventh RBI in 129 career at-bats.

He has a hit and an RBI in his last two starts. But it was the pitching numbers that really mattered.

"We talked about it before the game, the focus he was going to have," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He had his sharpness tonight."

Matheny wasn't too hard on Diaz, who doubled and is batting .400 in 35 at-bats.

"Young player, it happens," Matheny said. "We do also see a trend of him getting better the more he gets out there."

Lackey has a 12-4 record at 11-year-old Busch Stadium after entering with a 2.03 ERA at the park, his best among stadiums with four or more starts.

Monday, April 18 Scoreboard

Toronto 4, Boston 3

New York Mets 5, Philadelphia 2

Colorado 5, Cincinnati 1

Miami 6, Washington 1

Chicago Cubs 5, St. Louis 0

Minnesota 7, Milwaukee 4 (F/6)

Arizona 9, San Francisco 7 (F/11)

Tuesday, April 19 Schedule (All Times Central)

Milwaukee at Minnesota, 11:10 a.m.

Seattle at Cleveland, 4:10 p.m.

Toronto at Baltimore, 5:05 p.m.

Oakland at New York Yankees, 5:05 p.m.

New York Mets at Philadelphia, 5:05 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Boston, 5:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta, 5:10 p.m.

Colorado at Cincinnati, 5:10 p.m.

Washington at Miami, 5:10 p.m.

Detroit at Kansas City, 5:15 p.m.

Houston at Texas, 6:05 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels Chicago White Sox, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs St. Louis, 6:15 p.m.

Pittsburgh at San Diego, 8:10 p.m.

Arizona at San Francisco, 8:15 p.m.