Kyle Hendricks works 7 shutout innings as Cubs beat Cardinals, extend winning streak to 5 games
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Kyle Hendricks allowed five hits in seven shutout innings and Nico Hoerner and David Bote each drove in two runs as the Chicago Cubs extended their season-best winning streak to five games with a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.
Hendricks (2-7) didn't allow a runner to reach second base and finished with three strikeouts and a walk. The 34-year-old right-handler has not allowed a run in 11 1/3 innings over two appearances against St. Louis this season and is 14-4 with a 2.51 ERA lifetime in 27 appearances (26 starts) versus the Cardinals.
The Cardinals' Sonny Gray (9-6) allowed three runs on nine hits and struck out six in seven innings. St. Louis has dropped three straight games after winning six of its previous eight.
Masyn Winn and Willson Contreras walked, and Paul Goldschmidt hit an RBI single in the ninth inning off Hunter Bigge to snap a streak of 32 2/3 scoreless innings by Cubs pitching.
Héctor Neris allowed a two out walk to Nolan Arenado to load the bases before striking out Lars Nootbaar to earn his 13th save in 17 chances.
Bote hit a two-run, pinch-hit double in the eighth to extend the Chicago lead to 5-0.
Ian Happ doubled in the fourth and scored on Dansby Swanson's single to left field, giving the Cubs a 2-0 lead.
Miles Mastrobuoni singled to lead off the third, advanced to second on Pete Crow-Armstrong's bunt single and scored on a groundout by Hoerner to give Chicago a 1-0 lead.
Cubs reliever Luke Little departed the game in the eighth inning with an undisclosed injury after throwing four pitches to Nootbaar.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: RHP Yency Almonte (right shoulder strain) underwent surgery Friday to repair his labrum. ... RHP Adbert Alzolay (right flexor strain) threw a live batting practice session at the team's training facility in Mesa, Arizona.
Cardinals: Activated C Iván Herrera (lower back tightness) from the 10-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Memphis. ... INF/OF Tommy Edman (right wrist sprain) went 0 for 3 with a walk as the designated hitter for Double-A Springfield as he continued his rehabilitation assignment Friday night.
UP NEXT
RHP Lance Lynn (4-4, 4.48 ERA) will start for the Cardinals the first game of a split doubleheader on Saturday, with RHP Kyle Gibson (7-3, 3.96 ERA) slated to start Saturday's nightcap. RHP Hayden Wesneski (3-5, 3.67 ERA) will start one of the two games for the Cubs, who have not announced another starter.