Ozuna leads Cardinals to a win over Nationals
Schwarber powers Cubs past Reds
ST. LOUIS — Marcell Ozuna drove in four runs and threw out a runner at home plate from left field, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Monday night.
St. Louis began the night with a two-game lead over the secondplace Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.
Washington entered one game ahead of the Cubs for the top NL wild card.
Nationals manager Dave Martinez missed the game following a heart procedure in Washington, and bench coach Chip Hale was in charge of the dugout.
Ozuna hit a two-run homer in the first off Stephen Strasburg, who walked Dexter Fowler leading off.
CUBS 8, REDS 2: In Chicago, Kyle Schwarber hit a three-run homer and made a diving catch in left field, helping Chicago beat Cincinnati for its fifth straight victory.
Nicholas Castellanos added a two-run double in the eighth inning as Chicago moved a season-high 14 games above .500. It has outscored its opponents 59-18 during its win streak.
The Cubs (82-68) pulled within a half-game of Washington for the top spot in the wild-card standings and stayed two games back of NL Central-leading St. Louis.
Steve Cishek, Alec Mills (1-0), Rowan Wick, Kyle Ryan and David Phelps combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of an ineffective Cole Hamels. It was Mills’ first major league win in his 17th big league appearance.
It was Chicago’s first game since Anthony Rizzo had an MRI that showed the big first baseman had a moderate lateral right ankle sprain sustained during Sunday’s 16-6 victory over Pittsburgh.
Rizzo will wear a walking boot for five to seven days, casting doubt on his availability for the rest of the season.
BREWERS 5, PADRES 1: In Milwaukee, Corey Spangenberg drove in three runs, including a tiebreaking, two-run triple in the fourth inning, and Milwaukee beat San Diego to keep up a playoff push with its 10th win in 11 games.
Milwaukee began the night one game behind the Chicago Cubs for the NL’s second wild card and three games back of St. Louis, the NL Central leader.
San Diego got just two hits and dropped to 68-82, tying the franchise record with its ninth consecutive losing season. The Padres also finished under .500 from 1969-77, the first nine years of the expansion franchise.
Manny Machado of the Padres was booed loudly before every plate appearance and was cheered when he struck out in the sixth and ninth innings. While playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Brewers during last year’s NL Championship Series, Machado stepped on first baseman Jesús Aguilar’s foot, prompting the benches to empty.
ROCKIES 9, METS 4: In Denver, pitcher Antonio Senzatela hit a tying, two-run single that ended a year-long 0-for-44 slide at the plate, Trevor Story followed three pitches later with a threerun homer of Steven Matz to cap a six-run fourth inning and Colorado beat the Mets to drop New York five games back for the second NL wild card with 12 games to play.
Brandon Nimmo, batting leadoff for the first time since May 17, opened the game with a home run off Senzatela (10-10). Starting their last road trip of the regular season, the Mets built a 4-1 lead on Jeff McNeil’s two-run homer in the third that stopped an 0-for13 slump and Amed Rosario’s RBI double in the fourth. DIAMONDBACKS 7, MARLINS
5: In Phoenix, Robbie Ray pitched 5⅔ innings of no-hit ball, Jake Lamb hit a crucial three-run double and Arizona rallied for a victory over Miami.
Arizona, clinging to slim postseason hopes, remained 5½ games back of the Chicago Cubs for the second NL wild card with 11 to play and also would have to leapfrog Milwaukee, Philadelphia and the New York Mets.
TWINS 5, WHITE SOX 3: In Minneapolis, José Berríos pitched into the eighth inning to win his second straight start, Mitch Garver hit a go-ahead double and Minnesota
rallied to beat Chicago.
Seeking their first AL Central title since 2010, the Twins opened a five-game lead over secondplace Cleveland. At 92-58 with 12 games left, Minnesota is assured of its best record since finishing 94-68 in 2010.
TIGERS 5, ORIOLES 2: In Detroit, Jordy Mercer hit a tworun homer in the first inning, and Detroit beat Baltimore to split a four-game series between the teams with the worst records in the major leagues.
After the first series in American League history between teams in 50 or more games under .500, Detroit (45-104) has a 3½ game “lead” over Baltimore (49101) for the top pick in June’s amateur draft, which goes to the club with the lowest winning percentage this season. ROYALS 6, ATHLETCS 5: In Oakland, Calif., Brett Phillips hit a game-tying home run in the ninth and Adalberto Mondesi later hit a go-ahead double to lift Kansas City to a win over Oakland.