Cardinals Edge Cubs, White Sox Claim Win

Adam Wainwright called the most recent homestand a reality check for St. Louis. He's not quite ready to call this a turning point for the Cardinals.

Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday homered to back Wainwright, and St. Louis beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Tuesday night.

The Cardinals won their second straight game after going 0-5 on their first winless homestand of at least two series since 1983.

"I think a reality check set in where we're going to have to learn how to win and play in those close games better," Wainwright said. "When we come in here to this great city and this great team, we're going to have to play some tough games, some close games, and you're going to have to learn how to win those games."

The Cardinals made it consecutive one-run wins over the Cubs after three straight one-run losses to Texas. And while Wainwright called it an "overstatement" to "say this is a statement series," there are certainly some promising signs coming from St. Louis.

Carpenter and Holliday connected against Jason Hammel (7-3) in a three-run third inning that made it 4-1. Wainwright (6-4) pitched into the seventh and improved to 10-1 in 21 games -- 16 starts -- at Wrigley Field.

The Cardinals put themselves in position to sweep their first trip to Chicago since last year's NL Division Series, though it won't be easy with the major league-leading Cubs sending reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta to the mound.

"They're really, truly buying into the idea that we've got to look like the kind of team that we should do that," manager Mike Matheny said. "When we do that, we'll throw ourselves in the ring with anybody."

Chris Coghlan scored two runs for Chicago, whose longest losing streak is three games. The only other time the Cubs dropped two straight at home was when San Diego swept a doubleheader on May 11. But they came up short in this one, hitting into three double plays and going 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

"I have no complaints about the last two nights -- zero," manager Joe Maddon said. "We played well. We played good baseball."

Wainwright allowed three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

White Sox 3, Boston Red Sox 1

Tim Anderson gave Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale the earliest lead possible, and Sale used it to become the majors' first 12-game winner.

Sale tied his season high with nine strikeouts, Anderson led off the game with his first career homer and the White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 on Tuesday night.

"I felt really good out there. I had good command and just confidence, too," Sale said.

That confidence was evident as Sale (12-2) held Boston to four hits over seven innings. He got to a dozen wins before the season's midpoint.

Chicago led the whole way after Anderson homered to left on the first pitch from Clay Buchholz (3-7) in the right-hander's return to Boston's rotation after spending about a month in the bullpen.

Buchholz recovered after the rocky start and pitched pretty well, just not nearly as well as Sale.

"He was great. I think this is one of his better ones," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said of Sale. "He navigated it very well tonight. I think he was throwing strikes, a great changeup in some tough spots and got a strikeout when he needed it, too."

Todd Frazier hit his 20th homer and David Robertson got his 18th save for the White Sox, who won consecutive games for just the second time in June.

Tuesday, June 21 Scoreboard

San Diego 10, Baltimore 7

Colorado 8, New York Yankees 4

San Francisco 15, Pittsburgh 4

Arizona 4, Toronto 2

Chicago White Sox 3, Boston 1

Cleveland 6, Tampa Bay 0

Detroit 4, Seattle 2

New York Mets 2, Kansas City 1

Atlanta 3, Miami 2 (F/10)

St. Louis 4, Chicago Cubs 3

Cincinnati 8, Texas 2

Minnesota 14, Philadelphia 10

Houston 3, Los Angeles Angels 2

Oakland 5, Milwaukee 3

Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Washington 2

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.