Nats Beat Cubs in 12, Astros Down Cardinals

First, Stephen Strasburg and Jason Hammel dueled to scintillating draw. Then, the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs engaged in a back-and-forth drama that stretched into extra innings.

Afterward, both sides agreed: It was a game better suited for late fall than the middle of June.

Jayson Werth singled in the winning run with two outs in the 12th inning, giving the Nationals a 5-4 victory Wednesday before a sellout crowd of 42,000, largest of the season in Washington.

The Nationals won two of three in this showdown between the NL East and NL Central leaders.

"It kind of had a playoff feel, the way it was fought and played, especially at the end," Chicago's Anthony Rizzo said. "It was a fun game, a crazy game, the kind you see in October."

Facing Adam Warren, Werth hit a liner off the wall in center field to score Michael Taylor, who hit an RBI single against Trevor Cahill (0-2) earlier in the inning.

"It was awesome," Taylor said. "It's the kind of game you want to part of."

Addison Russell had given the Cubs the lead in the 12th with a run-scoring single off Yusmeiro Petit (2-0).

"They have a good team. We have a good team," Werth said. "It was a battle, a good series."

Strasburg gave up one run in seven innings for the Nationals, and Hammel did the same for Chicago. After they departed, both teams received shoddy bullpen work.

Pinch-hitter Stephen Drew gave Washington a 2-1 lead with a homer in the eighth off Pedro Strop. It was the Nationals' club-record ninth pinch-hit home run of the season, the third by Drew.

Astros 4, Cardinals 1

The Houston Astros have found life since moving George Springer to the leadoff spot, and Wednesday night was a perfect example.

Springer had the go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning, threw out a runner at the plate from right field and almost nailed a second with his arm in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals for a two-game sweep.

"George always does things," Houston starter Collin McHugh said. "It was a very typical George day."

Tony Sipp (1-2) got the last out of the seventh, Carlos Correa's two-run single off Trevor Rosenthal made it a three-run lead in the ninth and Will Harris finished for his fifth save in as many chances.

The Astros are 15-7 since shifting Springer ahead of Jose Altuve, who batted third in both games against St. Louis and had two hits on Wednesday. Springer had been in a 4-for-37 slump before connecting to straightaway center off Kevin Siegrist (4-2) with two outs for his 15th homer.

"I've been hitting the ball hard, just haven't gotten anything out of it," Springer said. "You just have to keep grinding and do anything that you can, and that's on the bases or the outfield or try to draw a walk, whatever it is."

Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright worked seven innings of four-hit ball and Greg Garcia, batting for the pitcher in the bottom half, hit an RBI single off McHugh to open the scoring.

White Sox 5, Tigers 3

Chris Sale was dominant for much of Wednesday night, though he believes the key to his success was how he handled the one stretch where he struggled.

Sale allowed three runs in seven innings to become this season's first 11-game winner in the majors, leading the Chicago White Sox to a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

He survived a shaky third inning, in which he allowed all three runs and five of the six hits that he surrendered.

"I tried to keep my emotions in check. There was a lot of ballgame left," said Sale, who had been 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA in his previous four starts. "Sometimes you get out there and get frustrated.

"That's a hard enough team that can beat you by themselves. You don't want to help them out. So just focus and try to get back on."

Sale (11-2) allowed just two baserunners in his final four innings on Wednesday night. He threw a season-high 119 pitches, giving a tired Chicago bullpen some much-needed rest.

Nate Jones worked a perfect eighth inning for the White Sox, and David Robertson pitched the ninth for his 16th save in 18 chances. -- By ESPN

Wednesday, June 15 Scoreboard

Colorado 6, New York Yankees 3

San Diego 6, Miami 3

Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Arizona 2

San Francisco 10, Milwaukee 1

Washington 5, Chicago  Cubs 4 (F/12)

Boston 6, Baltimore 4

Toronto 7, Philadelphia 2

Atlanta 9, Cincinnati 8 (F/13)

New York Mets 11, Pittsburgh 2

Tampa Bay 3, Seattle 2 (F/13)

Houston 4, St. Louis 1

Chicago White Sox 5, Detroit 3

Kansas City 9, Cleveland 4

Los Angeles Angels 10, Minnesota 1

Texas 7, Oakland 5

Thursday, June 16 Schedule (All Times Central)

Cincinnati at Atlanta, 11:10 a.m.

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

Texas at Oakland, 2:35 p.m.

Toronto at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Baltimore at Boston, 6:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at New York Mets, 6:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Detroit at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

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

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

Friday, June 17 Schedule (All Times Central)

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

Toronto at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Arizona at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Seattle at Boston, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Atlanta at New York Mets, 6:10 p.m.

Colorado at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

San Francisco at Tampa Bay, 6:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

Detroit at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

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

Los Angeles Angels at Oakland, 8:35 p.m.

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

Washington at San Diego, 9:40 p.m.

Saturday, June 18 Schedule (All Times Central)

New York Yankes at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

Arizona at Philadelphia, 2:05 p.m.

Toronto at Baltimore, 3:05 p.m.

Seattle at Boston, 3:05 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Oakland, 3:05 p.m.

Cincinnati at Houston, 3:10 p.m.

Colorado at Miami, 3:10 p.m.

San Francisco at Tampa Bay, 3:10 p.m.

Texas at St. Louis, 3:15 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, 5:10 p.m.

Detroit at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs, 7:15 p.m.

Atlanta at New York Mets, 7:15 p.m.

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

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

Sunday, June 19 Schedule (All Times Central)

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, 12:10 p.m.

Atlanta at New York Mets, 12:10 p.m.

Colorado at Miami, 12:10 p.m.

San Francisco at Tampa Bay, 12:10 p.m.

Toronto at Baltimore, 12:35 p.m.

Seattle at Boston, 12:35 p.m.

Arizona at Philadelphia, 12:35 p.m.

New York Yankees at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Houston, 1:10 p.m.

Detroit at Kansas City, 1:15 p.m.

Texas at St. Louis, 1:15 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Oakland, 3:05 p.m.

Milwaukee at Los Angeles Dodgers, 3:10 p.m.

Washington at San Diego, 3:40 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs, 7:00 p.m.