Cards set team record with 15th consecutive win

CARDINALS 8, CUBS 5

CHICAGO — Harrison Bader and the St. Louis Cardinals clearly recognize their record is impressive. Now they also want to win their next game — and many more after that.

The Cardinals set a franchise mark with their 15th consecutive win, boosted when catcher Yadier Molina and center fielder Bader helped pull off a wild double play Saturday in an 8-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

“It’s hard to do something in this organization that’s never been done,” Manager Mike Shildt said.

The Cardinals date their history to 1892, when they were known as the Browns and joined the National League. They later were called the Perfectos before becoming the Cardinals in the early 20th century.

Bader, Tyler O’Neill and Paul DeJong homered as these Cardinals broke the team record of 14 wins in a row set in 1935.

Bader went 4 for 4 and scored three times as the Cardinals held their comfortable lead for the second NL wild-card spot, five games ahead of Philadelphia.

And in a charmed final month, St. Louis preserved a late lead with a crazy play that resulted in a pair of rundowns and two outs.

After Nolan Arenado doubled to spark a three-run rally in the seventh, the Cardinals took a 5-4 lead into the eighth at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs quickly threatened when David Bote led off with a triple and Trayce Thompson walked. One out later, with runners still at the corners, Rafael Ortega hit a grounder to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who threw home to Molina.

After a short rundown, Arenado Tampa Bay 7, Miami 3 tagged out Bote. The star third baseman then cut across the diamond to trap Ortega off first. Another rundown ensued, with Molina catching a throw between second and third base before tossing to Bader, who had alertly rushed in to join the play and led to Thompson being tagged, too.

BREWERS 2, METS 1 Corbin Burnes pitched seven brilliant innings to win his ninth consecutive decision and Milwaukee moved to the brink of clinching the NL Central title with a victory over New York. PHILLIES 3, PIRATES 0 Ranger Suarez pitched a four-hit shutout, Bryce Harper homered and Philadelphia kept up its playoff push, beating Pittsburgh.

REDS 7, NATIONALS 6 Nick Castellanos hit a home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Cincinnati a win over Washington.

BRAVES 10, PADRES 8 (10) Jorge Soler hit a go-ahead double with one out in the 10th inning for his fourth RBI, and Atlanta won to keep their 11/2-game lead in the NL East while eliminating San Diego from playoff contention.

GIANTS 7, ROCKIES 2 Brandon Belt slugged two home runs and drove in four as San Francisco defeated Colorado. DIAMONDBACKS 7, DODGERS 2 Ketel Marte and Carson Kelly homered early off Clayton Kershaw, Zac Gallen pitched one-run ball for six innings and Arizona defeated Los Angeles.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

YANKEES 5, RED SOX 3 Giancarlo Stanton hit a go-ahead grand slam over the Green Monster in the eighth inning and New York beat Boston.

ATHLETICS 2, ASTROS 1 Starling Marte hit a game-ending double with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting Oakland past Houston.

INDIANS 6, WHITE SOX 0 Eli Morgan allowed one hit in six innings and Jose Ramirez drove in three runs, powering Cleveland over Chicago.

TIGERS 5, ROYALS 1 Miguel Cabrera drove in four runs, including a go-ahead, two-run double in the sixth inning, and Detroit downed Kansas City.

ORIOLES 3, RANGERS 2 Kelvin Gutierrez homered to cap a three-run seventh inning and Baltimore beat Texas.

INTERLEAGUE

RAYS 7, MARLINS 3 Tampa Bay clinched its second consecutive AL East title, with Mike Zunino hitting a go-ahead home run and Brandon Lowe later adding a pair of RBI doubles to beat Miami.