St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs Box Score on Jul 21, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 21, 2017

CHICAGO -- Paul DeJong's bases-loaded double delivered the go-ahead runs in a nine-run eighth inning as the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to an 11-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday afternoon.

DeJong (1-for-5) sent a drive off Cubs reliever Hector Rondon into the center-field ivy for a ground-rule double, scoring Tommy Pham and Dexter Fowler for a 5-3 lead with none out.

Rondon then gave up an RBI single to Randal Grichuk to make it 6-3. Carl Edwards Jr. (3-2), who started the inning and loaded the bases, took the loss.

Reliever Justin Grimm entered and gave up the rest, including a two-run double to Carson Kelly, a one-run single to Matt Carpenter and a two-run base hit to Pham.

The Cardinals (47-49) snapped a two-game losing streak as right-hander Matt Bowman (2-3) worked one-third of an inning in the seventh for the win. St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez allowed three runs (two earned) on 10 hits over 6 2/3 innings.

The Cubs (49-46) saw a six-game winning streak snapped as Ben Zobrist had three hits, Kyle Schwarber had two hits and Willson Contreras homered.

Fowler went 3-for-4 to lead the Cardinals while Carpenter, Pham and Grichuk each had two hits.

Cubs starter Jake Arrieta scattered two runs on five hits but had no decision. He held an opponent to six or fewer hits for the 12th straight start.

The Cubs led 2-0 in the first as Contreras clubbed his 14th home run, scoring Zobrist in the process.

Grichuk marked his return from the 10-day disabled list with a two-out, solo homer in the second inning that trimmed the Cubs lead to 2-1.

St. Louis forced a 2-2 tie in the third when Fowler doubled home Pham with two out.

Anthony Rizzo's one-out single down the first base line brought home Jason Heyward from second for a 3-2 Cubs lead.

Arrieta, pulled for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning, struck out six and walked none while throwing 97 pitches on a hot, humid afternoon.

Martinez left for a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh and was replaced by left-hander Zach Duke, making his season debut after being called up from the 60-day disabled list on the heels of Tommy John surgery following the 2016 season.

Duke faced two batters and threw six pitches, including a line drive from Rizzo for an out.

After Edwards loaded the bases, Rondon entered and walked Gyorko to bring in Carpenter with the tying run before the two-run ground-rule double to DeJong.

NOTES: The Cardinals made a series of personnel moves prior to Friday's game, including a trade that sent LHP Marco Gonzales to Seattle for OF prospect Tyler O'Neill. St. Louis also designated C Eric Fryer for assignment, recalled C Carson Kelly from Triple-A Memphis, activated OF Randal Grichuk from the 10-day disabled list and LHP Zach Duke from the 60-day disabled list. ... The Chicago stop is the finale of a 10-game road trip for the Cardinals that included stops in Pittsburgh and at the New York Mets. ... St. Louis sends RHP Adam Wainwright (11-5, 5.08 ERA) against Chicago LHP Jon Lester (6-6m 4.07 ERA) in Saturday's middle game. ... Cubs 3B Kris Bryant sat out Friday's game after suffering a left pinkie finger sprain on Wednesday. He's also likely to miss Saturday. ... The Cubs began a 18-game stretch of game without a trip to the airport with three games against the Cardinals, a four-game home-and-home series with the White Sox, three in Milwaukee and a six-game homestand through Aug. 20.