Cards blank Pirates 7-0
ST. LOUIS — Yadier Molina's teammates could tell their All-Star catcher was not happy.
After taking a fastball from Ivan Nova high and tight, Molina hit the next pitch for a three-run homer to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-0 on Sunday.
St. Louis, which has won three in a row and seven of eight, moved two games behind Chicago in the NL Central. The Cardinals are 2 1/2 behind Colorado for the second NL wild card.
Michael Wacha tossed eight scoreless innings and Randal Grichuk added a solo homer for St. Louis, which improved to 8-2 in September and moved to a season-high seven games over .500.
Molina tied a career-high with five RBI. He also drove in five runs on Sept. 17, 2010 against San Diego.
Rockies 8, Dodgers 1
LOS ANGELES — The NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers lost their 10th straight game for their worst skid in 25 years, routed by Mark Reynolds and the Colorado Rockies.
Reynolds hit a grand slam, Nolan Arenado and Trevor also homered, and Tyler Chatwood pitched five scoreless innings. The Rockies remained three games ahead of St. Louis and Milwaukee for the second NL wild-card spot.
Los Angeles still owns the best record in the majors at 9251, but even that's becoming tenuous. Washington beat the Phillies on Sunday to cut LA's lead to four games.
The Dodgers have dropped nine in a row at Chavez Ravine for the first time in 30 years. Overall, Los Angeles has lost 15 of 16, including its longest drought since losing 10 straight in 1992.
Rich Hill (9-8) gave up two runs and four hits in five innings. Chatwood (7-12) allowed five hits and struck out five.
Brewers 3, Cubs 1
CHICAGO — The Milwaukee Brewer needed to sweep the Chicago Cubs, and they did.
Travis Shaw hit a two-run homer, Zach Davies earned his major-league best 17th win and the Brewers beat Chicago to close within two games of the NL Central leaders.
Chicago entered the series with a five-game division lead, a season high, but the defending World Series champions totaled three runs in the series. Milwaukee is tied for second in the NL Central with St. Louis.
Davies (17-8) allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings, Anthony Swarzak pitched a hitless eighth and Corey Knebel finished for his 34th save in 39 chances.
Diamondbacks 3, Padres 2
PHOENIX — Paul Goldschmidt homered on his 30th birthday and J.D. Martinez went deep twice, helping Robbie Ray and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres day to avoid a three-game sweep.
Martinez hit solo drives in the second and sixth innings, the latter breaking a 2-2 tie. He has reached safely in 14 straight games and has 37 home runs this season. He hit 16 in 57 games with Detroit and 21 in 45 games since Arizona acquired him. Six of Martinez's seven career multi-home run games have come this season, four with Arizona.
Ray (13-5) won his fourth straight start, striking out 12 in six innings while allowing two runs and four hits. Archie Bradley got the call over closer Fernando Rodney in the ninth and earned his first save this season by striking out the side.
Arizona remained five games ahead of second-place Colorado for the NL's top wild card.
Goldschmidt's 34th home run, his first since Aug. 30, gave the Diamondbacks a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Yangervis Solarte tied the score with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Luis Perdomo (7-10) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings.
Reds 10, Mets 5
NEW YORK — On the last day of tough road trip in New York, Reds manager Bryan Price just wanted to listen to "God Bless America" and pay his respects.
Price put his argument with a pair of umpires on pause for the singing of the patriotic song, then resumed the dispute as Cincinnati beat the New York Mets on Tucker Barnhart's career-high five RBIs.
Cincinnati had rallied for three runs in the seventh to make it 5-all. Scooter Gennett then was called out on strikes by plate umpire Shane Livensparger to end the inning, slammed down his bat and helmet, and was ejected.