Cubs Reach 100 Wins For First Time in 81 Years

By ESPN

Joe Maddon was proud that his Chicago Cubs reached 100 wins for the first time in 81 years.

Javier Baez hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs while major league ERA leader Kyle Hendricks pitched six scoreless innings as the Cubs got win No. 100 by routing the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-2 on Monday night.

"The hundred is very significant," Maddon said. "It might not mean anything, but I've been on teams that have lost 100 games, so it's kind of nice to be on the other end of the stick. What it means is that we've played consistently all year. It means we come to play every day."

Baez helped the National League Central-champion Cubs reach triple digits in victories for the first time since 1935. He hit his second career grand slam in the fourth inning to extend Chicago's lead to 5-0 and his two-run single capped a six-run sixth that made it 11-0.

Hendricks (16-8) dropped his ERA to 1.99 by scattering seven hits, striking out five and walking none. He has not allowed more than three runs in 22 consecutive starts.

Hendricks' teammates were excited to see his ERA fall below 2.00.

"I didn't watch it during the game," Hendricks said. "After the game, you've got guys in here all over me, telling me about it."

Kris Bryant hit a two-run home run, his 39th, in the sixth to draw within one of NL leader Nolan Arenado of Colorado. It was also his 100th RBI.

The Pirates saw their hopes of a fourth consecutive postseason appearance dim even further with their third straight loss. They entered the day 4 1/2 games out of the second NL wild card with seven games to play.

Rookie Chad Kuhl (5-4) was rocked for five runs and eight hits in three-plus innings as his string of nine consecutive starts of giving up three runs or less ended.

"I thought I threw the ball pretty well until the fourth inning and then they started working some deep counts and things got away from me," Kuhl said.

Matt Joyce and pinch-hitter David Freese hit back-to-back home runs off Pedro Strop in the eighth inning to account for the Pirates' scoring. Andrew McCutchen extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

Reds 15, Cardinals 2

Adam Duvall joined some rare Cincinnati Reds company. And he did it in style.

Joey Votto and Duvall hit three of Cincinnati's four homers as the Reds routed the St. Louis Cardinals 15-2 on Monday night.

Reds starter Tim Adleman (3-4) retired the first 10 Cardinals he faced and went a career-long seven innings. It was his first win since Aug. 19.

The Reds improved to 6-4 in their last 10 games against the Cardinals, who fell one game behind the idle San Francisco Giants for the second wild card spot with six games to go.

Duvall's three-run homer in the fifth gave him a career-high five RBI and it gave him 100 for the season. It was the third multi-homer game and his first four-hit game of his career.

"At the beginning of the season it's not something you really set out for because you don't know how the season is going to go," Duvall said of the RBI milestone. "Throughout the season I've had a lot of chances to drive in runs because the guys in front of me have gotten on."

He became the 13th Reds player to hit 30 homers, 30 doubles and drive in 100 RBI in a season, joining the likes of Dave Parker, Johnny Bench, George Foster and Frank Robinson.

"It's a huge accomplishment to hit 30 homers, knock in 100 runs and make the All-Star team," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "Plus, according to some of these websites, he's got the top defensive zone rating among left fielders."

White  Sox 7, Rays 1

Finally, everything came together for James Shields. The beleaguered right-hander pitched six effective innings for his first win in two months, Justin Morneau and Carlos Sanchez each hit a two-run homer and the Chicago White Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-1 on Monday night.

Shields (6-18) allowed one run and seven hits, using six strikeouts to help wriggle out of several jams and lift Chicago win its third straight.

The right-hander hadn't won since July 26, when he pitched scoreless ball into the eighth against the crosstown Cubs. Shields was 0-6 in his previous 10 starts and is 4-11 since a trade to Chicago from San Diego.

In this one, Shields had solid command and reached back to make some big pitches in tight spots. He was backed by four double plays and ample offense as the White Sox pulled away.

"I got ahead of hitters and I was throwing some real good pitches actually that they were just spitting on, working the count," said Shields, who threw 108 pitches. "They got my pitch count up early, but I ended up grinding it out."

Ending the drought felt good, too.

"I had a few chances my last few starts to get some wins, but sometimes those things happen," Shields said. "I'm just trying to finish the season strong right now."

Monday, September 26 Scoreboard

Arizona 14, Washington 4

Chicago Cubs 12, Pittsburgh 2

New York Yankees 7, Toronto 5

Cleveland 7, detroit 4

Miami 7, New York Mets 3

Milwaukee 8, Texas 3

Chicago White Sox 7, Tampa Bay 1

Seattle 4, Houston 3 (F/11)

Cincinnati 15, St. Louis 2

Los Angeles Angels 2, Oakland 1

Tuesday, September 27 Schedule (All Times Central)

Boston at New York Yankees, 6 p.m.

Arizona at Wasington, 6:05 p.m.

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

Baltimore at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

Cleveland at Detroit, 6:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

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

Minnesota at Kansas City, 6:15 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Chicago White Sox, 7:10 p.m.

Seattle at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

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

Oakland at Los Angels Angels, 9:05 p.m.

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

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