Wainwright Shines in Batters Box as Cards Win, Cubs Down Reds

By ESPN

On the mound, Adam Wainwright likes to own the inside part of the plate.

As he's only recently discovered, crowding it is a pretty good approach for hitting, too.

Although shaky on the hill, Wainwright shined in the batter's box with a career-high four RBI as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Colorado Rockies 10-5 on Tuesday night to move into a three-way tie for the two NL wild cards.

Wainwright credits inching just a little bit closer for his newfound prowess at the plate.

"My whole career, I've fought trying to pull the ball and tried to stay up the middle and hit the ball to right field. It just doesn't work for me very well," explained Wainwright, who has 18 RBI this season. "If it's a pitch in the strike zone, I'm going to swing at it."

The free-swinging Wainwright lined a two-run double in the second inning and brought in two more with a bloop single in the fifth. Matt Adams and Jedd Gyorko homered for the Cardinals, now even with the Mets and Giants in the race for the final two NL playoff spots.

The 35-year-old Wainwright (12-9) didn't have his sharpest command, yielding solo homers to Daniel Descalso, Charlie Blackmon and Gerardo Parra. But the right-hander was sharp enough -- especially his curveball -- as he gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings.

"In a park like this, in a place where no lead is safe, a pitcher, if you can go out there and push something across ... you're doing your job," Wainwright explained.

Jorge De La Rosa (8-9) struggled through what could be his final start in a Rockies uniform. The winningest pitcher in team history allowed eight runs -- seven earned -- in 4 2/3 innings. His contract expires after this season.

Cubs 6, Reds 1

Joey Votto's hard-hit comebacker struck Jon Lester and ricocheted toward first as the left-hander doubled over.

Joe Maddon rushed to the mound, uncertain where the ball had hit his star pitcher. But Lester got up and wanted nothing of the visit, brushing off his manager just as he waved off curious reporters after the game.

"It's my right hand," Lester said. "I don't need it."

Lester overcame the injury scare to throw seven strong innings, Anthony Rizzo drove in three runs and the Chicago Cubs moved closer to securing the NL's best record with a 6-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

Lester (18-4) extended his scoreless streak to 21 innings before Jose Peraza's RBI triple in the fifth. He allowed six hits, struck out five, walked none and added an RBI double. Lester improved to 9-0 since the All-Star break despite the welt on his right wrist.

"It could have been a lot worse," Maddon said.

Rizzo had a two-run single in a four-run fourth and a run-scoring single in the sixth to give him 104 RBI. The Cubs' 96th win reduced their magic number to three over Washington for clinching home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.

The Cubs, who wrapped up the NL Central last week, are trying to find the right balance of staying sharp while getting rest and avoiding injury before the postseason. That's why the crowd gasped and the trainer and Maddon rushed to check on Lester.

"It'll be fine," Lester said. "It's a long way from the heart."

He retired six of his final seven batters before leaving after 97 pitches. Lester took over the NL lead in wins and dropped his ERA to 2.36, helping his Cy Young Award candidacy.

Phillies 7, White Sox 6

Odubel Herrera clapped his hands together and yelled toward the dugout as he ran to first base after yet another big hit.

The speedy center fielder is having fun again, and he's helping his team win games, too.

Herrera kept up his hitting surge with a homer among his three hits and drove in three runs as the Philadelphia Phillies held off a late Chicago White Sox rally in a 7-6 win Tuesday night.

Tommy Joseph and Roman Quinn added two hits apiece and combined to drive in three runs for the Phillies. Herrera, who hits between Quinn and Joseph in the lineup, is 15 for 28 in his last seven games after slumping for most of the summer following his trip to the All-Star Game.

"I was a little disappointed because things were not working out the way I wanted them to work out," Herrera said through a translator. "Thankfully now things are better for me and I'm putting the work in and the results are showing."

Melky Cabrera hit a three-run home run for the White Sox, who have lost four straight. Struggling veteran James Shields (5-18), winless since July 26, allowed six earned runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Tuesday, September 20 Scoreboard

Boston 5, Baltimore 2

Philadelphia 7, Chicago White Sox 6

Cleveland 2, Kansas City 1

Atlanta 5, New York Mets 4

Miami 1, Washington 0

New York Yankees 5, Tampa Bay 3

Texas 5, Los Angeles Angels 4

Chicago Cubs 6, Cincinnati 1

Pittsburgh 6, Milwaukee 33

Detroit 8, Minnesota 1

St. Louis 10, Colorado 5

San Francisco 2, Los Angeles Dodgeres 0

Houston 2, Oakland 1 (F/10)

Toronto 10, Seattle 2

San Diego 5, Arizona 2    

Wednesday, September 21 Schedule (All Times Central)

St. Louis at Colorado, 2:10 p.m.

Houston at Oakland, 2:35 p.m.

Toronto at Seattle, 2:40 p.m.

Boston at Baltimore, 6 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Kansas City at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

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

Washington at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Tampa Bay, 6:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

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

Pittsburgh at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Detroit at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Arizona at San Diego, 8:10 p.m.

San Francisco at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9 p.m.