Wainwright Stops Cards Skid, Cubs Continue to Tumble

BY ESPN

Adam Wainwright relished the chance to stop a skid. The Cardinals' ace worked seven effective innings to help St. Louis beat Pittsburgh 5-1 on Thursday to avoid a four-game sweep and end the Pirates' season-best seven-game winning streak.

"Today, I really wanted to push it as long as I possibly could," Wainwright said. "I was having fun mixing and matching and mixing my delivery speed. I was pitching out there, that's how I did it in 2014."

Wainwright (8-5) was a 20-game winner two years ago, but missed most of last season with a torn left Achilles. He is rediscovering his form now, lowering his ERA to 4.49.

"He's been a master craftsman for years," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. "He was on top of his game."

Stephen Piscotty hit a three-run home run and Randal Grichuk also went deep for St. Louis, which reclaimed second place in the NL Central by a half-game over Pittsburgh to end a rough 4-5 homestand. All-Star Matt Carpenter (oblique) joined Brandon Moss (ankle) and Brayan Pena (knee) on the 15-day disabled list earlier in the day.

"We heard the news, then we went about our business," Piscotty said. "We have to stay the course. I don't think anyone's going to give up by any means."

Piscotty's 11th homer off Arquimedes Caminero was initially ruled off the top of the center-field wall but the call was overturned after review. Piscotty had three homers during the home stand but didn't think this one was out.

Braves 4, Cubs 3

A long, odd night turned into a frustrating early morning for a Chicago Cubs team that appears to have lost its swagger.

Nick Markakis homered twice, including a tying solo shot in the ninth inning, and Tyler Flowers' two-out single in the 11th early Friday morning gave the Atlanta Braves a 4-3 victory.

"A tough game," catcher Willson Contreras said in a nearly silent clubhouse after Chicago's 13th loss in 18 games.

Contreras' two-run triple in a three-run eighth inning put the Cubs up 3-2. But closer Hector Rondon blew his fourth save when he gave up the second homer to Markakis to lead off the ninth, Atlanta's first hit since the second inning.

Flowers then singled to right off Spencer Patton (1-1), and Freddie Freeman, who walked, barely beat Ben Zobrist's throw home.

Dario Alvarez (3-1) worked a perfect 10th before giving up consecutive singles to Contreras and Jason Heyward to lead off the 11th.

Mauricio Cabrera came in and got his second save by getting Addison Russell to ground into a double play before Jeimer Candelario flied to center as the last-place Braves snapped a four-game skid.

Thursday, July 7 Scoreboard

Los Angeles Angels 5, Tampa Bay 1

St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh 1

Toronto 5, Detroit 4

New York Yankees 5, Cleveland 4

New York Mets 9, Washington 7

Minnesota 10, Texas 1

Atlanta 4, Chicago Cubs 3 (F/11)

Oakland 3, Houston 1

Kansas City 4, Seattle 3

Colorado 11, Philadelphia 2

San Diego 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 0

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.