By MATT PIKE
The Chicago Cubs rallied for four runs in the sixth inning against a sloppy St. Louis defense to top the Cardinals 6-4 at Wrigley Field and avoid a series sweep.
The Cubs held the lead after the first inning, the first lead they have held all series, after Alex Bregman doubled in Pete Crow-Armstrong and Nico Hoerner brought home Bregman on a sacrifice fly, putting Chicago up 2-0. The Cubs held that lead until the sixth inning, when the Cardinals scored three runs on Jordan Walker's 20th home run of the season, scoring JJ Wetherholt and Alec Burleson.
Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom half of the inning, Chicago tied the game on an RBI single by Hoerner, driving in former Cardinal Carson Kelly, and took the lead when Dansby Swanson reached on a fielders choice scoring Michael Busch for the 4-3 lead. Pinch-hitter Pedro Ramirez put the game away with a sacrifice fly, bringing home both Hoerner and Swanson on a throwing error by Walker.
Walker drove in the final run of the game in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly, scoring Wetherholt, to put the Cardinals down by two. Masyn Winn walked to lead off the ninth inning, and moved as far as second base, before Nelson Velázquez lined out to end the game. Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore allowed four earned runs on four hits in five innings, falling to 4-6 taking the loss. Liberatore walked two, hit three batters, and struck out two.
At the plate, Wetherholt was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Walker was 1-for-2 with a home run and a walk with four RBI's. Burleson was also 2-for-4 with a run scored.
St. Louis returns next to Busch Stadium to host the MIlwaukee Brewers. Dustin May (5-6, 4.80 ERA, 78K's) is set to start the series for the Cardinals against Shane Drohan (3-2, 3.12 ERA, 59K's) for the Brewers. First pitch is at 6:45pm, coverage begins at 6:35 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).
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