Hammel Leads Cubs Past Cardinals With Arm, Bat
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jason Hammel worked six sharp innings and had both RBIs for the Chicago Cubs in a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
The Cardinals stranded two runners against the Cubs bullpen in the seventh and eighth. Yadier Molina was at second base when Hector Rondon struck out pinch hitter Jedd Gyorko to earn his third save in three chances.
Chicago leads the majors at 11-3 and goes for a three-game sweep Wednesday over the defending NL Central champions. They last swept St. Louis in three games on the road Sept. 13-15, 2010.
Cubs starters have worked at least six innings the first 14 games of the season. That's the most in the majors since 1988 when the Astros went 22 games and the Indians 17, according to STATS.
Hammel (2-0) allowed a run on five hits in six innings with six strikeouts and no walks. The right-hander also gave Cubs pitchers three RBIs in two games and the lead with a two-run, bases-loaded single in the fourth.
Jaime Garcia (1-1) had thrown 15 2-3 consecutive scoreless innings before Hammel's hit. The lefty struck out seven but was hindered by four walks and lasted five innings after throwing a one-hitter his previous outing.
Molina had an RBI triple in the second but the Cardinals missed a chance for more because one of two men on base, Matt Adams, strayed off second and was picked off. The Cardinals had runners on second and third with none out in the fourth but came up empty when Jason Heyward made a perfect throw to nail Matt Holliday trying to score on Molina's flyout to medium right.
St. Louis is 0 for 14 with runners in scoring position the first two games of the series.
UP NEXT
Kyle Hendricks (1-1, 2.84) lost his last start, allowing two earned runs in six innings against Colorado. Carlos Martinez (2-0, 3.46) is 6-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 12 career day starts. He's 2-0 against the Cubs as a starter, but with a 5.48 ERA.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: Kyle Schwarber, out for the season with a left knee injury, underwent surgery to repair two ligaments.
BIG CALL
The Cardinals successfully challenged a hit by pitch call to open the seventh and it might have saved a run. Pinch hitter Javier Baez ended up striking out and the next batter, Dexter Fowler, doubled.
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