Cubs Sweep Reds, Rockies Bounce Cardinals

By ESPN

John Lackey was cruising along when Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon hit for the right-hander in the eighth inning.

Finding some work for his bullpen is Maddon's biggest problem these days.

Lackey got his first win in six weeks and Miguel Montero drove in three runs, helping the Cubs sweep the Cincinnati Reds with a 9-2 victory on Wednesday night.

"I definitely felt like I got better as the game went along," Lackey said.

Kris Bryant hit his 38th homer and Dexter Fowler also connected as major league-leading Chicago moved a season-high 42 games over .500. The Cubs (97-55) also matched their win total from a year ago and lowered their magic number for clinching home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs to two over Washington.

Lackey (10-8) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings in his first win since he beat the Angels on Aug. 9. The right-hander retired his last 14 batters and finished with just 87 pitches.

"After seven, having to get these bullpen guys some work, I had to do what we did," Maddon said, "but he definitely could have gone deeper into the game."

Hector Rondon got two outs and Mike Montgomery pitched a scoreless inning before Maddon went to Joe Smith for a game-ending strikeout of Steve Selsky. The Cubs clinched the NL Central title last week, giving Maddon plenty of time to take a look at various postseason possibilities.

The last-place Reds lost for the seventh time in eight games. They managed just five runs and 19 hits in the three-game series.

"It's a challenge over the last couple of years to constantly find ourselves down in the game, especially when it's by three, four or five runs and then rally and rally and rally," manager Bryan Price said. "It's a comfort zone for the opposing pitchers."

Robert Stephenson (2-2) was pulled with two out in the fourth inning and remains winless in four September starts. The rookie was charged with four runs and a career-high eight hits.

"I just couldn't get into a rhythm today," he said.

Rockies 11, Cardinals 1

The St. Louis Cardinals picked up a win before a pitch was even thrown when reserve outfielder Jose Martinez captured a playful, pregame staredown with Colorado reliever Carlos Estevez.

Too bad for the Cardinals that didn't count in the standings. They sure could've used it.

Nolan Arenado hit a grand slam, German Marquez pitched five solid innings for his first major league win and the Rockies slowed the Cardinals' playoff chase with an 11-1 victory on Wednesday.

The Cardinals, who had won four straight, entered the day tied with New York and San Francisco atop the NL wild-card standings. The Mets and Giants both played later.

Arenado broke open the game in the second with his NL-leading 39th homer of the season. His fourth career slam made it 6-1.

It's a pitch that simply caught too much of the plate.

"Stayed straight," starter Luke Weaver said. "For it to flatten out at such a big moment right there is disappointing."

Weaver (1-4) was roughed up by the Rockies, surrendering seven hits and six runs in two innings. Before this game, the right-hander had allowed 12 earned runs in his last seven starts combined.

The Cardinals had some early momentum when that standoff went their way just after the anthem.

Here's how it unfolded: Estevez and Martinez stood near their dugouts -- with their baseball cap over their heart -- and refused to back down until the other moved first.

Estevez blinked first and made a winner of Martinez, who celebrated before retreating to the dugout. Estevez said manager Walt Weiss pulled him in out of fear of being ejected.

"It's not fun to have one less bullpen guy," Estevez explained.

Martinez was going to see this thing through to the end -- no matter the consequences.

"The umpire asked me, `Why you do that?' I'm like, `When you're a rookie and a big league guy asks you to stand up there, I stand up there," said Martinez, who had a pinch-hit single in the seventh. "The most important thing is we have fun and the fans enjoyed it."

Phillies 8, White Sox 3

Whether the motivation came from within or from a challenge from his manager, Tommy Joseph certainly has responded.

Joseph homered, doubled and drove in three runs Wednesday night, leading the Philadelphia Phillies over the Chicago White Sox 8-3.

Earlier this month, Joseph was struggling and found himself on the bench. Since then, he's hit .480 in his last seven games.

Joseph's homer off White Sox ace Chris Sale was his 21st of the season, third-best among big league rookies.

Manager Pete Mackanin had stated Joseph needed to be better at the plate. Joseph said a self-assessment is what helped him break out.

"The challenge came from within myself," Joseph said. "When it comes from Pete, it gets out there publicly."

Joseph hit an RBI double in the first inning. He connected for a two-run homer off Sale (16-9) in the third.

"I was just trying to attack strikes," Joseph said. "He's a good enough pitcher where if he gets ahead of you, he's going to make you pay. So that was our collective game plan as a team, to capitalize on his mistake early in the count."

Cameron Rupp, Maikel Franco and Cesar Hernandez all had two-hit games for the Phillies. Hernandez hit his 10th triple of the season, tied for second best in the majors, and has reached base safely in 26 consecutive games.

Wednesday, September 21 Scoreboard

Colorado 11, St. Louis 1

Houston 6, Oakland 5

Seattle 2, Toronto 1 (F/12)

Boston 5, Baltimore 1

Philadelphia 8, Chicago White Sox 3

Cleveland 4, Kansas City 3

Atlanta 4, New York Mets 3

Washington 8, Miami 3

New York Yankees 11, Tampa Bay 5

Los Angeles Angels 5, Texas 4

Chicago Cubs 9, Cincinnati 2

Pittsburgh 4, Milwaukee 1

Arizona 3, San Diego 2

Los Angeles Dodgers 9, San Francisco 3

Detroit at Minnesota, postponed

Thursday, September 22 Schedule (All Times Central)

Detroit at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

Boston at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

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

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

Atlanta at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

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

Pittsburgh at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

Detroit at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Colorado at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9:10 p.m.

San Francisco at San Diego, 9:10 p.m.

Friday, September 23 Schedule (All Times Central)

St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 1 p.m.

New York Yankees at Toronto, 6 p.m.

Arizona at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Washington at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

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

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

Altanta at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

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

Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Seattle at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

Texas at Oakland, 8:35 p.m.

Colorado at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9:10 p.m.

San Francisco at San Dieg, 9:40 p.m.

Saturday, September 24 Schedule (All Times Central)

Kansas City at Detroit, 12:05 p.m.

St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 12:05 p.m.

Texas at Oakland, 3:05 p.m.

New York Yankees at Toronto, 3:07 p.m.

Boston at Tampa Bay, 5:10 p.m.

Arizona at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Washington at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 6:10 p.m.

Seattle at Minnesota, 6:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Houston, 6:10 p.m.

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

Atlanta at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

San Francisco at San Diego, 7:40 p.m.

Colorado at Los Angeles Dodgers, 8:10 p.m.

Sunday, September 25 Schedule (All Times Central)

New York Yankees at Toronto, 12:07 p.m.

Chicago White sox at Cleveland, 12:10 p.m.

Kansas City at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

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

Atlanta at Miami, 12:10 p.m.

Boston at Tampa Bay, 12:10 p.m.

Arizona at Baltimore, 12:35 p.m.

Washington at Pittsburgh, 12:35 p.m.

Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 1:10 p.m.

Seattle at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Houston, 1:10 p.m.

Texas at Oakland, 3:05 p.m.

Colorado at Los Angeles Dodgers, 3:10 p.m.

San Francisco at San Diego, 3:40 p.m.

St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 7 p.m.