Cardinals solve Wrigley again, crush Hammel, Cubs 10-4
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CHICAGO (AP) Yadier Molina drove in four runs, Stephen Piscotty homered and the St. Louis Cardinals boosted their playoff hopes by getting to Jason Hammel early in a 10-4 rout of the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
Randal Grichuk added three RBIs and Jhonny Peralta had three hits and scored three runs for the Cardinals, who snapped a two-game skid and moved into a tie with San Francisco for the final NL wild-card spot pending the Giants' game at San Diego.
Hammel (15-10) allowed six runs and six hits while getting just seven outs, hurting his bid for a postseason rotation spot. A day after clinching the NL's best record, the Cubs were denied their 99th win and a record 57th at Wrigley Field.
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Dexter Fowler finished a home run shy of the cycle, Ben Zobrist had a two-run triple and Willson Contreras homered in the ninth for the Cubs, who are 3-6 at home against St. Louis and 53-17 against other teams.
Alex Reyes (4-1) needed 115 pitches to get through five innings but settled down after a tough start to allow three runs and six hits with six strikeouts.
Hours after Friday's win, the Cubs clinched home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs when Washington lost to Pittsburgh. Manager Joe Maddon was watching on TV and declared it ''another checkmark'' for their season.
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They remained two wins shy of another goal - 100 wins - thanks to Hammel's struggles.
The right-hander's solid previous outing renewed talk he could supplant John Lackey as the No. 4 playoff starter. But Hammel saw his ERA rise from 3.56 to 3.83 after Maddon's early hook.
Molina had a two-run double and Grichuk a two-run single in the first. An inning later, Piscotty crushed Hammel's slider 450 feet onto Waveland Avenue for a solo homer. Hammel was lifted after giving up two more hits in the third.
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Molina added a two-run single for his third hit a three-run seventh against Hector Rondon. Piscotty's third hit in the eighth off Rob Zastryzny added another run.
Reyes had his 11 1/3-inning scoreless streak snapped in Chicago's two-run first, and Fowler's RBI double an inning later made it 5-3. But Reyes allowed just two hits over his final three innings.
Maddon cleared his bench in the late innings as Chicago's four-game winning streak ended.
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TRAINER'S ROOM
Cardinals: SS Aledmys Diaz (arm fatigue) started after a day off. . LF Matt Holliday (broken right thumb) could have a second batting practice session Sunday. . Kolten Wong (shoulder) didn't start after an outfield spill Friday.
Cubs: LF Jorge Soler (right side soreness) started for the first time since Sept. 16. . RHP Pedro Strop (knee, groin) reported no pain a day after his first appearance since Aug. 10. ''I thought I was going to be really sore,'' Strop said.
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SCHEDULE CHANGE
Maddon pushed his bullpen game to Thursday in Pittsburgh. Kyle Hendricks, Lackey and Jake Arrieta will start the first three games against the Pirates.
UP NEXT
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LHP Jon Lester (18-4, 2.36 ERA) faces Cardinals RHP Carlos Martinez (15-8, 3.16) in Chicago's regular-season home finale Sunday night. Lester is 8-0 with a 1.05 ERA in his last 10 starts.