Cardinals Stop Losing Streak, Beat Cubs

Trevor Rosenthal was in deep trouble when Yadier Molina came up with a huge play -- for the closer and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Molina cut down rookie Albert Almora Jr. trying to take third on a ball in the dirt in the ninth, and Rosenthal held on for the save as St. Louis stopped a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.

Almora doubled with one out and Rosenthal hit pinch-hitter Chris Coghlan with his next pitch. With Ben Zobrist at the plate, Almora tried to advance when a ball bounced away from Molina, but the eight-time Gold Glove winner made a perfect throw to third baseman Jhonny Peralta for the out.

"He's the best catcher in baseball," said Jaime Garcia, who pitched into the seventh inning in his first win in four June starts.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon said it looked as if the ball hit the foot of home plate umpire Pat Hoberg before Molina got to it.

"Their catcher, Molina, made a good play and they made a good tag," Maddon said.

Zobrist followed with a single to right, putting runners on the corners, but Rosenthal got Jason Heyward to pop out for his 13th save in 15 chances. Rosenthal allowed five runs and seven hits in two-plus innings over his previous four appearances.

"He was flirting with danger again," manager Mike Matheny said. "Got to get him right, and right there it's not as much getting him right as much as it felt like he was our best shot."

Brandon Moss and Peralta homered against John Lackey as the Cardinals got back on track following their first winless homestand of at least two series since 1983. It was their first trip to Wrigley Field since they were eliminated by the Cubs in the NL Division Series last year.

White Sox 3, Red Sox 1

White Sox manager Robin Ventura initially had little advice for Zach Duke when the reliever was brought into a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning.

"No outs, good luck," Ventura said he first told the lefty.

"I just let him know we've got five guys in the infield. If you throw stuff they can hit on the ground, it gives us a better chance," he added.

Duke wriggled out of trouble Monday night and Chicago went on to beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 in 10 innings.

In the ninth, the Red Sox loaded the bases on three walks by Zach Putnam. Duke relieved and struck out pinch-hitter Dustin Pedroia before Christian Vazquez bounced to a fifth infielder placed in front of second base. Tyler Saladino threw home for a force out, and then Duke fanned pinch-hitter Ryan LaMarre to end the threat.

"It was a little bit stressful," Duke said. "Those are the moments we kind of live for as players."

Jose Abreu doubled home two runs off Boston closer Craig Kimbrel (0-3) with two outs in the top of the 10th after Duke's impressive work.

Abreu doubled to right-center after Avisail Garcia walked and J.B. Shuck singled.

Chicago snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the eighth time in 26 games. Boston has lost five of eight.

Monday, June 27 Scoreboard

Arizona 3, Philadelphia 1

Pittsburgh 1, San Francisco 0

Chicago White Sox 3, Boston 1 (F/10)

Cleveland 7, Tampa Bay 4

Detroit 8, Seattle 7

Colorado 5, Miami 3

Texas 4, Baltimore 3

St. Louis 3, Chicago Cubs 2

Houston 10, Los Angeles Angels 7

Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Washington 1

Tuesday, June 21 Schedule (All Times Central)

San Diego at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

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

San Francisco at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Arizona at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

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

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

Seattle at Detroit, 6:10 p.m.

Kansas City at New York Mets, 6:10 p.m.

Atlanta at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 7:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Oakland, 9:05 p.m.

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

Wednesday, June 22 Schedule (All Times Central)

Atlanta at Miami, 11:10 a.m.

Colorado at New York, 12:05 p.m.

Kansas City at New York, 12:10 p.m.

Los Angeles at Houston, 1:10 p.m.

St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Milwaukee at Oakland, 2:35 p.m.

Arizona at Toronto, 3:07 p.m.

San Diego at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

San Francisco at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

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

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

Seattle at Detroit, 6:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Washington at Los Angeles, 9 p.m.

Thursday, June 23 Schedule (All Times Central)

San Francisco at Pittsburgh, 11:35 a.m.

Seattle at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Minnesota, 12:10 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Boston, 12:35 p.m.
 
New York at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

San Diego at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

Arizona at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

Oakland at Los Angeles, 9:05 p.m.

Friday, June 24 Schedule (All Times Central)

Tampa Bay at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

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

Los Angeles at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Cleveland at Detroit, 6:10 p.m.

San Diego at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

New York at Atlanta, 6:35 p.m.

Boston at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Toronto at Chicago, 7:10 p.m.

Washington at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

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

Arizona at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

Oakland at Los Angeles, 9:05 p.m.

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

Saturday, June 25 Schedule (All Times Central)

Minnesota at New York, 12:05 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Baltimore, 12:05 p.m.

Toronto at Chicago, 1:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Detroit, 3:10 p.m.

Washington at Milwaukee, 3:10 p.m.

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

Arizona at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

Chicago at Miami, 3:10 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Houston at Kansas City, 6:15 p.m.

New York at Atlanta, 6:15 p.m.

Los Angeles at Pittsburgh, 6:15 p.m.

Boston at Texas, 8:20 p.m.

Oakland at Los Angeles, 9:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at San Francisco, 9:05 p.m.

St. Louis at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Sunday, June 26 Schedule (All Times Central)

Minnesota at New York, 12:05 p.m.

Cleveland at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

San Diego at Cincinnati, 12:10 p.m.

Chicago at Miami, 12:10 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Baltimore, 12:35 p.m.

New York at Atlanta, 12:35 p.m.

Toronto at Chicago, 1:10 p.m.

Washington at Milwaukee, 1:10 p.m.

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

Boston at Texas, 2:05 p.m.

Oakland at Los Angeles, 2:35 p.m.

Philadelphia at San Francisco, 3:05 p.m.

St. Louis at Seattle, 3:10 p.m.

Arizona at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

Los Angeles at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.