Cubs Beat Cardinals 7-2 In Doubleheader Opener
CHICAGO (AP) — Tyler Chatwood pitched into the sixth inning and made a key defensive play in his first win in two months, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Saturday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.
Chatwood (4-5) issued six walks and hit a batter, continuing a season-long problem with control issues.
But the right-hander allowed just one hit in 5 1/3 innings — Matt Carpenter's fourth homer in the last two days.
Ben Zobrist went 4 for 4 and scored twice as NL Central-leading Chicago bounced back nicely from an 18-5 loss to St. Louis on Friday.
Javier Baez had three hits and two RBIs, and Tommy La Stella also drove in two runs in the makeup of an April 16 rainout.
The Cardinals pulled within one on Yadier Molina's sacrifice fly in the seventh, but the Cubs responded with four runs in the bottom half.
Baez drove in Jason Heyward with a bloop double, Victor Caratini had a sacrifice fly and La Stella capped the scoring with a two-out, two-run single.
Carpenter's one-out drive in the third landed in the basket in right field, tying it at 1 with his 24th of the season and extending his homer streak to five straight games.
He went 5 for 5 with three homers, two doubles and seven RBIs while playing just six innings in Friday's runaway win.
On a blustery day at Wrigley Field, Carpenter also flied out to the warning track in center with two runners on in the seventh.
Chatwood appeared to be in trouble when the Cardinals loaded the bases in the fifth on two walks and a hit batter, leading to a mound visit from pitching coach Jim Hickey and his whole infield.
But Chatwood then fielded Paul DeJong's comebacker and started a 1-2-3 double play, ending the inning.
A fired-up Chatwood yelled as he came off the mound after the play and gave catcher Caratini a high-five.
The Cubs then grabbed the lead with three straight singles in the bottom half. Baez chased Luke Weaver (5-9) with his liner into right field, and Kyle Schwarber made it a 3-1 with a sacrifice fly off Mike Mayers.
Weaver allowed seven hits and walked five in his team-high 20th start of the season.
He was recalled from the minors to serve as the 26th man for the doubleheader.
Chatwood had just two strikeouts in his first win since May 11 against the White Sox. He was 0-2 with a 6.41 ERA in his previous 10 starts.
MAKING MOVES
The Cubs added reliever Jesse Chavez to their roster and placed right-hander Anthony Bass on the 10-day disabled list with a back injury.
Chavez, who was acquired in a trade with Texas on Thursday, then pitched the last two innings in his debut with his new team.
Chicago also recalled reliever Dillon Maples from Triple-A Iowa and optioned right-hander James Norwood to its top farm club. Reliever Luke Farrell was brought up from Iowa to serve as the 26th man for the doubleheader.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right oblique strain. The move is retroactive to Friday, a day after Martinez struggled through five innings in a 9-6 loss to the Cubs.
"It's a very mild oblique strain," general manager Michael Girsch said.
RHP Miles Mikolas was activated from the paternity list and reliever John Brebbia was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. The Cardinals had an open roster spot after reliever Matt Bowman was sent down following their 18-5 win.
Cubs: LHP Jose Quintana starts Sunday for the first time since July 10. He has been working on his change-up with pitching coach Jim Hickey, but manager Joe Maddon said he also has been dealing with some shoulder fatigue. "Nothing awful," Maddon said. "Just give him a couple extra days."
UP NEXT
Cardinals right-hander John Gant (3-3, 3.49 ERA) and Cubs left-hander Mike Montgomery (3-3, 3.91 ERA) start the second game of the doubleheader.
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