Cubs Continue to Fall, Cards Lose to Pirates

By ESPN

The bullpen flopped, the offense disappeared late and the Chicago Cubs again couldn't escape their worst funk this season.

Tucker Barnhart hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Trevor Cahill in the seventh inning, and the Cincinnati Reds beat Chicago 5-3 Wednesday -- the Cubs' 12th loss in 17 games.

A day after having seven players selected for next week's All-Star Game, the Cubs lost to the last-place Reds for the second time in three days and dropped below the San Francisco Giants for the majors' best record.

"I can't connect a bunch of negative dots. It just happened," said manager Joe Maddon, who believes this poor stretch is more a "snapshot" than a sign of bigger problems.

"I'm not really that concerned," he said.

Still, the Cubs had been atop the majors since April. Shortstop Addison Russell, part of the entire infield voted in as NL starters, couldn't explain how they've lost their form.

"The past few weeks it hasn't been working," Russell said, "but we still have high hopes and high faith."

Chicago led 3-1 when Brandon Phillips and Jose Peraza hit consecutive one-out singles against Cahill (1-3) and Barnhart sent a 2-2 sinker into the basket in center field for his third home run this year.

Pirates 7, Cardinals 5

Jung Ho Kang is playing while under investigation for sexual assault , and the Pirates infielder helped Pittsburgh climb in the standings Wednesday night.

Kang drove in two key runs with a seventh-inning double a day after Chicago police announced their investigation, and Pittsburgh beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-5 on Wednesday night for its sixth straight comeback win.

Kang's double off Jonathan Broxton (1-1) put the Pirates up 6-5 after they trailed 5-1.

Kang, through an interpreter, declined to comment on the assault allegations after the game in his first public remarks. He did talk about the latest comeback victory, which gave Pittsburgh seven consecutive wins overall and leapfrogged them past St. Louis for second place in the NL Central.

"Not only myself but also all the teammates and the team as a whole unit, we always think positive and keep our heads in the fight," Kang said. "And that's what we did today and the last couple of days."

In a statement Tuesday, police said a 23-year-old woman reported being assaulted by Kang inside a hotel. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the Chicago woman met Kang through a dating app. Kang invited the woman to his hotel room on June 17, after the Pirates played the Cubs.

The Pirates have won three straight series at Busch Stadium after dropping their previous seven in St. Louis.

White Sox 5, Yankees 0

From their torrid start to their dreadful slump and sudden resurgence, it sure has been a wild season for the Chicago White Sox.

They are looking better as the All-Star break approaches.

Miguel Gonzalez pitched five-hit ball over seven innings and the White Sox beat the New York Yankees 5-0 on Wednesday night.

The White Sox have won six of eight and 11 of 16. They took two of three from the Yankees and won their fifth straight series.

That's more like it for a team that led the AL Central at 23-10 before going into a huge tailspin.

"Everybody seems to be contributing in one way or another and it's nice," manager Robin Ventura said. "We're playing better baseball, it's that simple. We're playing all-around better baseball."

The White Sox bounced back after getting blanked for the fifth time and handed the Yankees their fifth shutout.

Tim Anderson capped a four-run second with a two-run double off Michael Pineda (3-8). Gonzalez (2-4) took it from there.

Wednesday, July 6 Scoreboard

Detroit 12, Cleveland 2

Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 3

Minnesota 4, Oakland 0

New York Mets 4,  Miami 2

Cincinnati 5, Chicago Cubs 2

Baltimore 6,  Los Angeles Dodgers 4 (F/14)

Washington 7, Milwaukee 4

Boston 11, Texas 6

Toronto 4, Kansas City 2

Los Angeles  Angels 7, Tampa Bay 2

Chicago White Sox 5, New York Yankees 0

Houston 9, Seattle 8

Pittsburgh 7, St. Louis 5

San Diego 13, Arizona 6

San Francisco 5, Colorado 1

Thursday, July 7 Schedule (All Times Central)

Los Angeles Angels at Tampa Bay, 11:10 a.m.

Pittsburgh at St. Louis, 12:45 p.m.

Detroit at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

New York Yankees at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

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

Minnesota at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Atlanta at Chicago Cubs, 7:05 p.m.

Oakland at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

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

Philadelphia at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

San Diego at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9:10 p.m.

Friday, July 8 Schedule (All Times Central)

Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Los Angeles Angel at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Detroit at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

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

New York Yankees at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

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

Cincinnati at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

Minnesota at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Atlanta at Chicago White Sox, 7:10 p.m.

St. Louis at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Oakland at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

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

San Diego at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9:10 p.m.

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

Saturday, July 9 Schedule (All Times Central)

Detroit at Toronto, 12:07 p.m.

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

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

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

Tampa Bay at Boston, 3:05 p.m.

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

New York Yankees at Cleveland, 3:10 p.m.

Oakland at Houston, 3:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Miami, 3:10 p.m.

Seattle at Kansas City, 3:15 p.m.

San Diego at Los Angeles Dodgers, 6:15 p.m.

Washington at New York Mets, 6:15 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh, 6:15 p.m.

Philadelphia at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

Minnesota at Texas, 8:05 p.m.

Sunday, July 10 Schedule (All Times Central)

Detroit at Toronto, 12:07 p.m.

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

New York Yankees at Cleveland, 12:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Miami, 12:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Baltimore, 12:35 p.m.

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

Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh, 12:35 p.m.

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

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

Oakland at Houston, 1:10 p.m.

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

Minnesota at Texas, 2:05 p.m.

San Diego at Los Angeles Dodgers, 3:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

Arizona at San Francisco, 7:00 p.m.