Cardinals Deal Blow to Playoff Hopes, Pirates Beat Cubs

BY ESPN

Closers need nerves of steel. Raisel Iglesias is showing he has what it takes.

Adam Duvall's two-run single was all Cincinnati needed as the Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Wednesday night.

The Reds' third win in their last four games dealt a blow to the Cardinals' playoff hopes. St. Louis remained one game behind San Francisco for the NL's second wild card, with the New York Mets 1 1/2 games ahead of the Giants.

Iglesias earned his fifth save in six opportunities with two innings of relief, pitching in and out of jams in both.

A walk to his first batter, a hit batter and a wild pitch in the eighth had Iglesias pitching out of a second and third with one out situation. The right-hander wriggled out with a strikeout and a ground out.

"First inning everything sped up for me," Iglesias said through an interpreter. "After that I picked my tempo up and everything was fine after that."

Cardinals pinch-hitter Kolten Wong led off the ninth with a triple. But Iglesias got a shallow fly sandwiched between two ground outs to end the game.

"After that I started to locate my pitches and it felt like a playoff game," Iglesias said. "I'm going to be aggressive as I can be and go after the hitters."

Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani (9-5) allowed one runner in each of the first four innings, but only once during that span did the Cardinals have anyone in scoring position. He stranded five runners, including two in the sixth, his last inning. He allowed six hits and one run.

Pirates 8, Cubs 4

Coming around second base in the seventh inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates' 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night, John Jaso stumbled. Then, he went for it.

Ninety feet later, Jaso was safe at third base with a triple to become the first player to hit a cycle in the 16-year history of PNC Park.

The triple off reliever Pedro Strop clinched the Pirates' first cycle since 2004. The last Pirate to hit for the cycle was Daryle Ward on May 26, 2004, in St. Louis. The last Pirates' home cycle was by Jason Kendall on May 19, 2000, against the Cardinals at Three Rivers Stadium.

Jaso isn't exactly a typical candidate for the cycle. He has neither prodigious power nor speed, as he hit just his seventh home run and third triple of the season. Jaso didn't even realize what had happened until he had already performed the feat.

"It didn't really dawn on me until I was standing on the base," he said. "I was looking at (third base coach Rick) Sofield and it finally just hit me."

Jaso's teammates were well aware of what was going on. Shortstop Jordy Mercer said they didn't want to jinx it by telling him.

"There was a little buzz going on and we were aware of the situation, but I don't think it's something you want to openly talk about when they have one more at-bat left," Mercer said.

But when Jaso looked like he might settle for a double after rounding second, Mercer and the rest of the bench became a legion of third-base coaches.

"We were just yelling, `Keep going! Keep going no matter what, just go," Mercer said. "It worked out. I couldn't be more happy for him. It was awesome."

Against Chicago starter Jake Arrieta (18-8), Jaso singled in the second inning, hit a three-run home run in the fourth and doubled in the fifth. Arrieta went five innings and allowed 10 hits and seven runs, both season highs.

"It's just a great memory to have," Jaso said. "You don't really want to take this blessing for granted being here."

Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (5-4) allowed one hit and struck out four in six innings.

Chicago's Anthony Rizzo hit a solo homer, his 32nd of the season.

White Sox 1, Rays 0

The never shy Todd Frazier had been focused on one thing: 40 home runs.

"I don't if you guys know, but he's been talking about it for a while," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said, smirking. "I know I've heard it a lot."

Frazier picked a good time to reach the mark for the first time in his career, providing all the offense Miguel Gonzalez needed in Chicago's 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on a soggy Wednesday night.

Frazier became the seventh White Sox player to reach the milestone when he connected off knuckleballer Eddie Gamboa (0-2) with two out in the seventh. Frazier is hitting .391 (18 for 46) during a 12-game hitting streak.

"Not many people have hit 40 home runs in a year," Frazier said, "so it's a good feat to have."

Gonzalez (5-7) overcame a 1 hour, 16-minute rain delay in the third inning by throwing 25 pitches in two separate throwing sessions in the batting cage, determined not to have his last start of the season shortened.

"I'm not sure what Gonzalez did over there in that other clubhouse, but he definitely didn't get out of rhythm," Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Gonzalez retired 18 of 19 before being lifted after Logan Forsythe's one-out single to left in the ninth. David Robertson immediately got a double-play grounder to finish the three-hitter for his 37th save in 44 tries.

Red Sox Clinch AL East Title

His playing days dwindling, Mark Teixeira gave himself a moment to savor Wednesday night and rescued the New York Yankees in the process.

Teixeira hit a game-winning grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Yankees staved off playoff elimination at the last possible instant with a 5-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

"That's as good as it gets right there," said Teixeira, set to retire after this season.

Boston clinched the AL East title nearly 30 minutes before Teixeira connected, thanks to Toronto's 3-2 loss against Baltimore. But a five-run comeback by New York in the ninth prevented its longtime rival from celebrating on the Yankee Stadium field.

"It's an unbelievable moment," manager Joe Girardi said. "It's a great moment for him, and it's a great moment for us."

The victory by the Orioles put the Yankees on the brink of wild-card elimination following a surprising charge late this season. New York had only one infield hit and trailed 3-0 heading into the ninth, with Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel (2-5) jogging in from the bullpen on a misty and blustery night in the Bronx.

Wednesday, September 28 Scoreboard

Seattle 12, Houston 4

Detroit 6, Cleveland 3 (F/5)

New York Yankees 5, Boston 3

Pittsburgh 8, Chicago Cubs 4

Baltimore 3, Toronto 2

Atlanta 12, Philadelphia 2

New York Mets 5, Miami 2

Kansas City 5, Minnesota 2

Arizona 3, Washington 0 (F/6)

Texas 8, Milwaukee 5

Cincinnati 2, St. Louis 1

Chicago White Sox 1, Tampa Bay 0

Colorado 2, San Francisco 0

Los Angeles Angels 8, Oakland 6

San Diego 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 5

Thursday, September 29 Schedule (All Times Central)

Cleveland at Detroit, noon

Arizona at Washington, 12:05 p.m.

Boston at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

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

Baltimore at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

Philadelphia at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

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

Cincinnati at St. Louis, 6:15 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Chicago Whtie Sox, 7:10 pm..

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego, 8;10 p.m.

Oakland at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

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

Friday, September 30 Schedule (All Times Central)

Toronto at Boston, 6 p.m.

Baltimore at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Miami at Washington, 6:05 p.m.

New York Mets at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Detroit at Atlanta, 6:35 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Chicago White Sox, 7:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

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

San Diego at Arizona, 8:40 p.m.

Houston at Los Angeles Angels, 9:05 p.m.

Oakland at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m.

Saturday, October 1 Schedule (All Times Central)

New York Mets at Philadelphia, 12:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh at St. Louis, 12:05 p.m.

Baltimore at New York Yankees, 3:05 p.m.

Miami at Washington, 3:05 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco, 3:05 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati, 3:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Kansas City, 3:15 p.m.

Toronto at Boston, 6:10 p.m.

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

Detroit at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Milwaukee at Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

San Diego at Arizona, 7:10 p.m.

Houston at Los Angeles Angels, 8:05 p.m.

Oakland at Seattle, 8:10 p.m.

Sunday, October 2 Schedule (All Times Central)

Toronto at Boston, 2:05 p.m.

Houston at Los Angeles Angels, 2:05 p.m.

Baltimore at New York Yankees, 2:05 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Texas, 2:05 p.m.

Miami at Washington, 2:02 p.m.

New York Mets at Philadelphia, 2:05 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco, 2:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Chicago White Sox, 2:10 p.m.

Oakland at Seattle, 2:10 p.m.

Detroit at Atlanta, 2:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati, 2:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Colorado, 2:10 p.m.

San Diego at Arizona, 2:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Kansas City, 2:15 p.m.

Pittsburgh at St. Louis, 2:15 p.m.