Cubs Bounce Cardinals, 12-3, MLB Scores

Jason Hammel had a lot to do with the early six-run cushion. The pitcher went above and beyond in helping end the Chicago Cubs' first three-game losing streak of the season with a 12-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

"Right out of the gate, took my first swings before I made my first pitch," Hammel said after working 7 1/3 stingy innings and contributing a two-run double to Chicago's big first.

Hammel has beaten the Cardinals twice this season, allowing two runs in 13 1/3 innings. This was his longest outing of the year, and manager Joe Maddon thought he could have thrown a complete game.

"It's important for us, it's important for him psychologically to be able to do that," Maddon said. "It's important that they know he can."

Michael Wacha (2-5) gave up a career-worst eight runs in four innings and has lost five consecutive decisions for the first time. The 24-year-old right-hander was a 17-game winner last season and the NL championship series MVP as a rookie in 2013, but this season has a 5.04 ERA.

"It's a pretty discouraging start," Wacha said. "I never really gave the team a chance."

Jorge Soler drew a bases-loaded walk in the first and hit a two-run home run in the fifth.

The six-run inning was a season-best for the NL Central leaders, who snapped their first three-game losing streak of the season. David Ross had an RBI double for his 500th career hit on a ball that somehow eluded center fielder Randal Grichuk's glove at the warning track, and Kris Bryant had an RBI single in the outburst.

Hammel (6-1) bounced back from his first loss in his previous start, allowing one run on four hits and retiring the side in order five times. The two-run double gave him a career-best five RBI on the year and his sixth hit in 23 at-bats.

Indians 6, White Sox 2

Cleveland manager Terry Francona raved about Josh Tomlin. The Indians roared when Mike Napoli's awkward slide into third base was shown on the TV in the visitors' clubhouse.

Fun night all around for Tomlin and company.

Tomlin beat Chris Sale in a one-sided matchup of unbeaten pitchers and Francisco Lindor had three hits, leading Cleveland to a 6-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.

"I was able to throw strikes and mix it up enough to where they put the ball in play and the guys made the plays," Tomlin said.

Tomlin pitched eight innings of two-run ball to become the first Indians starter to reach 7-0 since Dennis Martinez won his first nine decisions in 1995. Sale was knocked out in the fourth, ending his bid to become the first pitcher to win his first 10 starts in a season since Andy Hawkins for San Diego in 1985.

It was baseball's first matchup of 6-0 or better pitchers since 1988, and only the fourth time in major league history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"The past doesn't matter," Sale said. "It's right now. Everything is about right now and nine wins didn't get me anything tonight."

Chris Gimenez homered for Cleveland, which had lost three straight before Monday's 5-1 victory at Chicago in the second game of a doubleheader. Jose Ramirez walked twice and scored twice, and Napoli drove in two runs.

Tuesday, May 24 Scoreboard

Tampa Bay 4, Miami 3

Chicago Cubs 12, St. Louis 3

New York Yankees 6, Toronto 0

Washington 7, New York Mets 4

Pittsburgh 12, Arizona 1

Boston 8, Colorado 3

Detroit 3, Philadelphia 1

Milwaukee 2, Atlanta 1

Texas 4, Los Angeles Angels 1

Cleveland 6, Chicago White Sox 2

Kansas City 7, Minnesota 4

Houston 3, Baltimore 2 (F/13)

San Francisco 8, San Diego 2

Seattle 6, Oakland 5

Los Angeles Dodgers 8, Cincinnati 2

Wednesday, May 25 Schedule (All Times Central)

New York Mets at Washington, 12:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

Kansas City at Minnesota, 12:10 p.m.

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

Los Angeles Angels at Texas, 1:05 p.m.    

Cleveland at Chicago White Sox, 1:10 p.m.

San Diego at San Francisco, 2:45 p.m.

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

Arizona at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Colorado at Boston, 6:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

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

Baltimore at Houston,  7:10 p.m.

Oakland at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

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

Thursday, May 26 Schedule (All Times Central)

Arizona at Pittsburgh, 11:35 a.m.

Miami at Tampa Bay, 12:10 p.m.

Toronto at New York Yankees, 3:05 p.m.

St. Louis at Washington, 6:05 p.m.

Colorado at Boston, 6:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

Friday, May 27 Schedule (All Times Central)

Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

St. Louis at Washington, 6:05 p.m.

Boston at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets, 6:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Tampa Bay, 6:10 p.m.

Miami at Atlanta, 6:35 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

San Francisco at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

San Diego at Arizona, 8:40 p.m.

Houston at Los Angeles Angels, 9:05 p.m.

Detroit at Oakland, 9:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Saturday, May 28 Schedule (All Times Central)

Boston at Toronto, 12:07 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Kansas City, 1:15 p.m.

Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Detroit at Oakland, 3:05 p.m.

Baltimore at Cleveland, 3:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 3:10 p.m.

Miami at Atlanta, 3:10 p.m.

San Francisco at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Tampa Bay, 3:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Texas, 6:15 p.m.

St. Louis at Washington, 6:15 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets, 6:15 p.m.

Houston at Los Angeles Angels, 9:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

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

Sunday, May 29 Schedule (All Times Central)

Boston at Toronto, 12:07 p.m.

Baltimore at Cleveland, 12:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Tampa Bay, 12:10 p.m.

St. Louis at Washington, 12:35 p.m.

Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 1:10 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Kansas City, 1:15 p.m.

Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Texas, 2:05 p.m.

Houston at Los Angeles Angels, 2:35 p.m.

Detroit at Oakland, 3:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Seattle, 3:10 p.m.

San Francisco at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

San Diego at Arizona, 3:10 p.m.

Miami at Atlanta, 4:05 p.m.

Los Angeles at New York, 7 p.m.

Monday, May 30 Schedule (All Times Central)

Chicago White Sox at New York Mets, noon    

San Francisco at Atlanta, 12:10 p.m.

Boston at Baltimore, 12:35 p.m.

St. Louis at Milwaukee, 1:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Minnesota at Oakland, 3 p.m.    

San Diego at Seattle, 3:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

Houston at Arizona, 3:10 p.m.

Texas at Cleveland, 5:10 p.m.

Washington at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

New York Yankees at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

Detroit at Los Angeles Angels, 8:05 p.m.