The St. Louis Cardinals have been the best team in baseball since the beginning of the season and will most likely be the first to many accomplishments this year. They began that on Saturday when Michael Wacha pitched six shutdown innings and Xavier Scruggs added three hits in their 8-1 win over the Chicago Cubs. It is their fifth consecutive win and makes them the first team in baseball to 50 victories.
Jason Heyward reached base four times to help the Cardinals to improve to a major league-best 28-7 at home, as they recorded their eight consecutive win at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals, who have the majors' best record at 50-24, have five separate winning streaks of five games or more this season.
Wacha allowed one run on six hits to run his record to 10-3 with the victory. He was able to bounce back from a rough start against the Philadelphia Phillies, where he gave up five runs on eight hits in five innings last Sunday. He retired the last six batters he faced on Saturday.
Donn Roach went just 3 1/3 innings in his first major league appearance for the Cubs, replacing Tsuyoshi Wada, who has a sore elbow. The Cubs suffered their fourth consecutive loss after a four-game winning streak.
St. Louis scored four runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Scruggs, Kolten Wong, and Matt Carpenter each drove in two runs in the win. Scruggs' RBI single in the fourth gave the Cards the lead for good. Heyward finished the night 2-for-3 with two walks and scored twice.
The Cardinals reached 50 wins before July for the first time in franchise history. Carlos Villanueva pitched three innings of one-hit ball to record the save.
The redbirds hold a comfortable eight-game lead in the NL Central over the Pittsburgh Pirates and will finish their series with the Cubs on Sunday Night Baseball.
Jason Heyward reached base four times to help the Cardinals to improve to a major league-best 28-7 at home, as they recorded their eight consecutive win at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals, who have the majors' best record at 50-24, have five separate winning streaks of five games or more this season.
Wacha allowed one run on six hits to run his record to 10-3 with the victory. He was able to bounce back from a rough start against the Philadelphia Phillies, where he gave up five runs on eight hits in five innings last Sunday. He retired the last six batters he faced on Saturday.
Donn Roach went just 3 1/3 innings in his first major league appearance for the Cubs, replacing Tsuyoshi Wada, who has a sore elbow. The Cubs suffered their fourth consecutive loss after a four-game winning streak.
St. Louis scored four runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Scruggs, Kolten Wong, and Matt Carpenter each drove in two runs in the win. Scruggs' RBI single in the fourth gave the Cards the lead for good. Heyward finished the night 2-for-3 with two walks and scored twice.
The Cardinals reached 50 wins before July for the first time in franchise history. Carlos Villanueva pitched three innings of one-hit ball to record the save.
The redbirds hold a comfortable eight-game lead in the NL Central over the Pittsburgh Pirates and will finish their series with the Cubs on Sunday Night Baseball.
