Hendricks Guides Cubs To Win, Braves Beat Cardinals

By ESPN

With Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester holding down the front end of the rotation, the Chicago Cubs were already in good shape to make a playoff run in the fall.

Kyle Hendricks is almost certain to be a big part of that as well, especially if he keeps pitching like he has the past three months.

Hendricks added to his already impressive season with another strong outing, pitching into the eighth inning for his fifth win since June to help the Cubs beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 Sunday and complete a three-game sweep.

"I think he can be effective any time," Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. "The gun doesn't say a big number but after those changeups and the curve ... if he elevates at 90, I promise you, and you can see the reaction of the hitters, that 90 is a lot quicker than it reads on a scoreboard."

Hendricks (11-7) was dominant against an A's team that lost for the eighth time in nine games, Chicago's right-hander allowed three hits over 7 1/3 innings, struck out four and retired 17 straight before Marcus Semien's one-out home run in the eighth.

Hendricks lowered his ERA to 2.17, second-lowest in the majors among qualifiers behind the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw.

Braves 6, Cardinals 3

Mike Foltynewicz set the tone for the capper of the Atlanta Braves' feel-good weekend.

The right-hander worked six strong innings, Nick Markakis and Erick Aybar had two RBI apiece and the Braves kept the St. Louis Cardinals down at home with a 6-3 victory on Sunday.

Matt Kemp added two hits and an RBI to help the Braves take two of three, outscoring the Cardinals 19-8 the last two games. Atlanta has the worst record in the majors at 41-70, but has won seven of its last 11 overall.

Counting a six-run ninth, they scored 12 runs in three innings.

"The guys are something else, I tell you," interim manager Brian Snitker said.

Adam Wainwright (9-6) had a rare off-day against Atlanta, surrendering three runs in the first and second. He entered 8-2 with a 2.95 ERA against the Braves, who drafted him in the first round in 2000 and traded him to St. Louis in 2003 in a deal for J.D. Drew.

"We needed to win that game," Wainwright said. "I'm sorry we didn't, that was my fault, but the luck was certainly not on my side and sometimes you need it."

The Cardinals are just 26-32 at home after going 55-26 last season, but have been good on the road at 32-21. They've lost 12 series at home.

Orioles 10, White Sox 2

Manny Machado was 16 when he first met Alex Rodriguez and they quickly became close friends and offseason workout buddies. So Machado was watching intently Sunday morning as A-Rod announced he was ending his career.

"I'm sure Manny had some emotions," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said, "and he certainly took them out on the field with him."

Machado became the second player in major league history to homer in the first, second and third innings, driving in a career-high seven runs in a 10-2 rout of James Shields and the Chicago White Sox.

"He's a mentor to me," Machado said of Rodriguez. "I've known him for a long time. To see him go up there and talk and leave it there, it's tough. It's a tough situation. I know as a personal friend he sleeps, breathes, eats baseball."

Machado hit a two-run homer in the first and a three-run shot in the second off Shields, who allowed four homers while getting four outs.

Machado hit another two-run homer in the third off Matt Albers. According to STATS, the only other player to do that was Carl Reynolds of the White Sox on July 2, 1930, at the Yankees.

Sunday, August 7 Scoreboard

New YOrk Yankees 3, Cleveland 2

New YOrk Mets 3, Detroit 1

Minnesota 6, Tampa Bay 3

Washington 1, San Francisco 0

Cincinnati 7, Pittsburgh 3

Baltimore 10, Chicago White Sox 2

Texas 5, Houston 3 (F/11)

Kansas City 7, Toronto 1

Atlanta 6, St. Louis 3

Chicago Cubs 3, Oakland 1

Seattle 3, Los Angeles Angels 1

Miami 10, Colorado 7

Arizona 9, Milwaukee 3

Philadelphia 6, San Diego 5

Los Angeles Dodgers 8, Boston 5

Monday, August 8 Schedule (All Times Central)

Tampa Bay at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

San Francisco at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

Atlanta at Milwaukee, 6:20 p.m.

Houston at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

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

Texas at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

Baltimore at Oakland, 9:05 p.m.

Detroit at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Los Angeles, 9:10 p.m.