MLB: The Cards beat their bitter rivals at home, outlasting the Cubs in an extra innings delight
Saint Louis, Missouri - The St. Louis Cardinals were able to get past their division rivals on Wednesday night as they made some extra-inning magic to beat the Chicago Cubs.
Yadier Molina (39), one of the Cards’ all-time greats, saved the night for the Redbirds with a 10th-inning, ground-rule double that allowed the winning run to score as the Cards won over the Cubs 3-2. With the win, St. Louis jumps a game ahead of Chicago in the NL Central standings while both teams are trying to chase the Milwaukee Brewers, who are at the top of the division.
Chicago jumped out to a small lead early when Rafael Ortega hit a triple in the third inning to bring home Nico Hoerner for the 1-0 lead. Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks, who was looking for his 11th victory in a row on the mound, held off the Cards for six innings before allowing two runs in the seventh. Dylan Carlson and Harrison Bader each hit doubles that brought in a run each to give St. Louis a 2-1 lead.
The Cubs did manage to get one back as they tied the game in the top of the ninth ,as third baseman Eric Sogard pinch-hit a double of his own to set the score at two apiece, sending things into extra innings. Chicago had a chance to steal the game, if not for Cubs All-Star Anthony Rizzo, who got caught in a rare rundown between third and home plate. After that blunder, there was a palpable vibe on the field that the Cubs had run out of chances.
Molina, now in his 18th season in St. Louis, stepped up and was once again the hero as he’s been countless times bringing Paul Goldschmidt home with the walk-off double to right field.
Bader keeps showing up
Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright threw seven innings for five strikeouts, allowing only one run, but it was reliever T.J. McFarland who got the win, his first on the mound with St. Louis. Bader had an amazing game, going 3-for-4, his fifth multi-hit game in the last seven contests.
The Cards have one more to go in their four-game set against the Cubs, set for Thursday night back in St. Louis.
Cover photo: IMAGO / UPI Photo