Cubs Stop Rockies' Win Streak, Cardinals Edge Phillies

By ESPN

Stuck in a season-long slump, Addison Russell helped the World Series champions get back to the .500 mark.

Russell had a go-ahead home run for his first big contribution since an absence in the wake of a Major League Baseball investigation into domestic abuse allegations, and the Chicago Cubs stopped the Colorado Rockies' seven-game winning streak, 7-5 Sunday.

Russell and Kyle Schwarber had back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning. Miguel Montero and Ben Zobrist also connected, helping the Cubs even get to 31-31.

This was Russell's second game since missing the first two games of the series. The MLB investigation began after claims of abuse against his wife were levied in a since-deleted social media post.

"It was pretty big, and then Schwarber coming up behind me and adding on," Russell said. "It feels good to see some success, a little bit. I definitely want to bask in it a little bit, but tomorrow is going to be another day."

Reliever Jordan Lyles (0-2) gave up both homers in the sixth. The NL West-leading Rockies ended their longest winning string since 2013.

Carl Edwards Jr. (2-0) won in relief of starter Jake Arrieta. Wade Davis gave up a run in the ninth before getting his 13th save in 13 chances as the Cubs snapped a four-game losing streak.

Russell, batting just .213, put the Cubs ahead 5-4 with his fourth home run. Schwarber, hitting only .171, followed with a pinch-hit drive for his 11th homer.

"It's all about confidence, man," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "As we continue to rebuild their confidence and they get it back, you're going to see a lot more of that. It's that simple."

Schwarber's towering fly to right field earned him a curtain call from the Wrigley Field fans on a 91-degree day.

"Addy got the hanging breaking ball and I was able to get a heater down and in. We had good at-bats pretty much the whole day, just watching," Schwarber said. "It's definitely a positive step to see our guys put up really good competitive at-bats."

Colorado rookie Antonio Senzatela labored through four innings, striking out six. He allowed four runs before getting an out in the first as Anthony Rizzo had an RBI double on a 10-pitch at-bat and Zobrist hit a three-run homer.

The Rockies responded with four runs in the fifth inning, all charged to Arrieta.

DJ LeMahieu walked with the bases loaded and, after Carlos Gonzalez was ejected arguing a called third strike, Mark Reynolds lined an RBI single to make it 4-2.

Edwards relieved and allowed a tying, two-run single by Ian Desmond.

Montero homered in the eighth. LeMahieu added an RBI single in the ninth before Davis got Alexi Amarista to pop out to end it. Amarista replaced Gonzalez after the ejection by umpire Marvin Hudson.

"It was a bad pitch. I said a few words he didn't like. He tossed me. As simple as that," Gonzalez said. "I think the whole situation, too, we got runners on, I got bases loaded, opportunity to keep the inning going, help the team score runs, so that's what really frustrated me."

Cardinals 6, Phillies 5

The St. Louis Cardinals needed a big hit, and Dexter Fowler delivered -- again.

Fowler hit a three-run homer and Adam Wainwright tossed five solid innings, leading St. Louis to a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

The Cardinals have won three in a row since a season-high seven-game losing streak.

Daniel Nava homered for the Phillies, who have dropped five in a row.

Philadelphia led 2-0 before Fowler connected against Aaron Nola (3-4) in the fifth inning. Eight of Fowler's nine homers in his first season with St. Louis have given his team the lead.

"I could have kissed him," Wainwright said. "That was such a big hit for us as a team, but also for me."

Tommy Pham, who had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run for St. Louis, said Fowler's homer served as a perfect pick-me-up.

"A big momentum-shifter right there," Pham said. "He's a clutch player."

Wainwright (7-4) gave up six hits, struck out four and walked two, bouncing back nicely from a rough start at Cincinnati on Tuesday. Seung Hwan Oh pitched a rocky ninth inning for his 15th save.

Wainwright needed 50 pitches to get through the first two innings, but allowed just one hit over his final three frames.

"I had very, very average stuff," Wainwright said. "It wasn't coming out great. But we found a way to win."

Nola gave up just four hits, but needed 93 pitches to get through five innings on a 90-degree afternoon.

"I just didn't execute the pitch where I wanted it," Nola said of the Fowler home run.

Pham and Eric Fryer added run-scoring singles in the sixth, and Kolten Wong's RBI double made it 6-3 Cardinals in the eighth. Wong's hit took on added importance when Oh faltered in the ninth.

Philadelphia pulled within one on RBI singles by Odubel Herrera and Howie Kendrick. Oh then got Tommy Joseph to fly to right with two runners on, ending the game.

"It was good to see us score off their closer in the ninth inning," Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin said. "We just fell short again."

Indians 4, White Sox 2

Carlos Carrasco got the Cleveland Indians to the sixth inning, and Andrew Miller and company took over from there.

Miller, Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen combined for 3 2/3 innings of one-hit relief, helping the Indians top the Chicago White Sox 4-2 on Sunday.

"We have an unbelievable bullpen," Carrasco said. "It was amazing."

Carrasco (6-3) was pulled after Todd Frazier's two-run double cut Cleveland's lead to one. The right-hander allowed seven hits, struck out four and walked one in 5 1/3 innings.

Miller retired all five batters he faced, striking out three. Shaw pitched a scoreless eighth and Allen finished for his 15th save, working around a one-out single.

The White Sox knew what they were getting into when the Indians went to their late-inning relievers.

"They're very good," Frazier said. "That's why they made it to the World Series last year. That's what they do best, all three of those guys."

Carrasco struck out Melky Cabrera to begin the sixth but then hit Jose Abreu on the left elbow. The big first baseman, who was hit on the left knee by Miller on Friday, crouched over at the plate and slowly walked to first.

Avisail Garcia's double put runners at second and third before Frazier's double made it 3-2. Miller struck out Yolmer Sanchez and Tim Anderson and retired the side in order in the seventh.

"As soon as I saw Miller, I said, `This inning is over.' I just left the man on second base right there," Carrasco said.

Cleveland is off Monday, making 11 outs for its bullpen no big deal.

"That was one of those where we were able to win today, we can't do that -- after this off day, we have 23 (games) in 21 days," manager Terry Francona said. "Today we could, knowing there was an off day."

Francisco Lindor, Roberto Perez and Erik Gonzalez each drove in a run for Cleveland.

The White Sox have dropped nine of 11. Jose Quintana (2-8) allowed three runs in five innings, dropping to 0-4 in his last seven starts.

Lindor, who was in a 6-for-44 slump, tacked on an RBI double in the seventh.

The Indians thought they had a run in the sixth, but third base umpire Bruce Dreckman ruled Edwin Encarnacion's towering fly ball down the line was foul. Encarnacion, who started his home run trot, immediately signaled the ball was fair and Francona came on the field.

A crew chief review ensued as Encarnacion impatiently stood at home plate and leaned on his bat. The call stood, drawing boos from the crowd. Encarnacion worked the count to 3-2 and fired his bat to the ground after hitting a tapper to pitcher Chris Beck.

Encarnacion's drive cleared the porch and landed on a walkway adjacent to the scoreboard in left field.

Sunday, June 11 Scoreboard

New York Yankees 14, Baltimore 3

Cleveland 4, Chicago White Sox 2

Tampa Bay 5, Oakland 4

New York Mets 2, Atlanta 1

Pittsburgh 3, Miami 1

Los Angeles Angels 12, Houston 6

St. Louis 6, Philadelphia 5

Chicago Cubs 7, Colorado 5

Texas 5, Washington 1

San Francisco 13, Minnesota 8

Toronto 4, Seattle 0

Los Angeles Dodgers 9, Cincinnati 7

Arizona 11, Milwaukee 1

Kansas City 8, San Diego 3

Detroit 8, Boston 3

Monday, June 12 Schedule (All Times Central)

Atlanta at Washington, 6:05 p.m.

Colorado at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at Boston, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at New York Mets, 6:10 p.m.

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

Seattle at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Texas at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels, 9:07 p.m.

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