Aug 14, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Stephen Piscotty (55) celebrates after defeating the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley. Photo Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports
CHICAGO — Stephen Piscotty hit a three-run home run as the St. Louis Cardinals scored five runs in the eighth inning in a 6-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night to split their four-game series.
The Cubs have lost two straight after their 11-game winning streak was snapped on Saturday. They’re also dealing with an injury to starting pitcher John Lackey.
Lackey exited after a 2-2 pitch to Randal Grichuk with two outs in the seventh. Lackey bent over and appeared to grimace after his final pitch, a curveball. Justin Grimm replaced him and threw one pitch to strike out Grichuk.
Lackey allowed an unearned run and four hits, struck out five and walked one in 6 2/3 innings. He threw 106 pitches before manager Joe Maddon visited the mound and pulled him from the game.
Piscotty homered off setup man Hector Rondon, who was making his first appearance since Aug. 2 after resting a sore triceps. Rondon allowed singles to pinch hitter Kolten Wong and Greg Garcia before Piscotty’s 17th home run. Brandon Moss followed with a solo shot, his team-leading 21st of the season, to chase Rondon, who gave up four runs and recorded one out. Travis Wood took over and allowed an RBI double to Grichuk.
Anthony Rizzo homered off Kevin Siegrist in the bottom of the eighth to cut the lead to two. He has 25 this season. After a strikeout, Siegrist exited with an apparent injury. Seung Hwan Oh replaced him and got the five-out save.
Rizzo drove in three runs for the Cubs (73-43), who have the best record in the majors.
The Cardinals ended the Cubs’ longest winning streak since 2001 with Saturday’s 8-4 victory. St. Louis (62-56) trails the Cubs by 12 games in the National League Central but remains alive in the wild-card race.
The Cardinals went ahead 7-6 in the season series against the Cubs, who dropped consecutive games for the first time since July 25-26.
Cardinals starter Mike Leake allowed three runs in six innings.
Kris Bryant tripled and scored on Rizzo’s single for a 3-1 Cubs lead in the sixth.
The Cubs loaded the bases in the seventh on a double, infield single and walk. Reliever Matt Bowman got two flyouts and a strikeout to get out of the inning.
The first three batters of the game for the Cubs got on base, with Chicago taking the lead on Rizzo’s RBI single in the first inning. Ben Zobrist’s sacrifice fly brought in a second run.
The Cardinals put runners at the corners after a single and a walk in the second, but Grichuk struck out to end the inning.
St. Louis cut the Chicago lead to one in the third. Greg Garcia singled to snap an 0-for-31 skid and Piscotty was hit by a pitch. The Cubs tried to turn a double play on a Matt Carpenter grounder, but Zobrist committed a throwing error at second, allowing a run to score.
NOTES: RHP Trevor Cahill (1-3, 3.07 ERA) will start the first game of the Cubs’ doubleheader on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field, manager Joe Maddon said. Cahill (right knee patellar tendinitis) has been on the 15-day disabled list since July 9. … RHP Jason Hammel (12-5, 2.90 ERA) is scheduled to start the second game. … Cubs setup man Hector Rondon (sore right triceps) said he is ready to pitch. He last pitched Aug. 2. Maddon said the Cubs will be careful with him early. … Cardinals 2B Jedd Gyorko has 10 home runs since July 18 to lead the National League. He is tied with Minnesota’s Brian Dozier for the major league lead. … The Cardinals continued to bat 1B Matt Carpenter third on Sunday. The team’s usual No. 3 hitter, OF Matt Holliday, went on the DL Saturday with a broken thumb.
