Hammel Leads Cubs To 2-1 Win Over Cardinals

Jason Hammel has three RBI compared to two runs allowed through three starts. And even though Jason Heyward isn't getting hits, he's impacting the game on defense.

Hammel worked six sharp innings and drove in both runs for the Chicago Cubs in a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.

Heyward was 0 for 5, dropping his average to .170, but threw out Matt Holliday at the plate to end the fourth.

"I got a couple good knocks, my first game-winning RBI," Hammel said. "Honestly, I don't think I wouldn't have been out there without Jason's great play."

Hammel, a career .136 hitter, is 2 for 6 with a double to go with a 1.00 ERA this season. The hits aren't exactly coming from extra work in the cage.

"No, no," Hammel said with a chuckle. "We hit every day but I'm not trying anything different. I've just been trying to get the barrel out."

Heyward, who left the Cardinals for Chicago as a free agent, weathered more boos in his second game in St. Louis, but again didn't seem to mind.

"The boos got louder after I threw out Holliday at home, but whatever, it doesn't matter," Heyward said. "The fans are always going to do what they want to do regardless, and wherever you're playing you've just got to try to help your team win."

The Cardinals stranded two runners against the Cubs bullpen in the seventh and eighth. Yadier Molina was at second base when Hector Rondon struck out pinch-hitter Jedd Gyorko to earn his third save in three chances.

Chicago leads the majors at 11-3 and goes for a three-game sweep Wednesday over the defending NL Central champions. They last swept St. Louis in three games on the road Sept. 13-15, 2010.

White Sox 5, Angels 0

Mat Latos has been slowed by knee trouble. He pitched for three teams last season. He didn't sign with the Chicago White Sox until February, then struggled in spring training.

Now, Latos is breezing through major league lineups in a remarkable start to the season.

Latos didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning, Todd Frazier and Jose Abreu hit solo home runs and the White Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-0 on Tuesday night to snap a three-game losing streak.

Latos (3-0) allowed two hits over 6 1/3 innings and lowered his ERA to 0.49 through three starts.

"Butts and elbows coming at you in all different directions," White Sox right fielder Adam Eaton said of 6-foot-6 Latos. "He shows the ball behind his back and then all of a sudden comes over his head like a pitching machine."

Frazier went deep to left in the second and Abreu homered to center in the fifth off fastballs by Matt Shoemaker (1-2) in the Angels' fourth loss in five games.

Shoemaker gave up six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Tuesday, April 19 Scoreboard

Milwaukee 6, Minnesota 5

Cleveland 3, Seattle 2

Toronto 4, Baltimore 3

Oakland 3, New York Yankees 2 (F/11)

New York Mets 11, Philadelphia 1

Tampa Bay 3, Boston 0 (F/10)
    
Atlanta 8, Los Angeles  Dodgers 1

Cincinnati 4, Colorado 3
    
Washington 7, Miami 0
    
Kansas City 8, Detroit 6

Texas 7, Houston 5
     
Chicago White Sox 5, Los Angeles Angels 0
     
Chicago Cubs 2, St. Louis 1

San Diego 5, Pittsburgh 4

Arizona 3, San Francisco 0

Wednesday, April 20 Schedule (All Times Central)

Colorado at Cincinnati, 11:35 a.m.

Chicago Cubs St. Louis, 12:45 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Chicago White Sox, 1:10 p.m.

Seattle at Cleveland, 5:10 p.m.

Detroit at Kansas City, 6 p.m.

Toronto at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Oakland at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

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

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

Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

Washington at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

Houston at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at San Diego, 9:10 p.m.

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