SportHamels, Baez lead Cubs past Cardinals 3-1

1/5 SLIDES © APWF

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas (39) delivers against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, June, 7, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

2/5 SLIDES © APWF

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cole Hamels (35) delivers against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, June, 7, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

3/5 SLIDES © APWF

Chicago Cubs' Javier Baez (9) hits a two run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, June, 7, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

4/5 SLIDES © David Banks/AP Photo

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong (16) tags out Chicago Cubs' Carlos Gonzalez (2) at second base on a steal attempt during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, June, 7, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

5/5 SLIDES © Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 07: Anthony Rizzo #44 of the Chicago Cubs tries to catch a foul ball that went into the stands hit by Matt Wieters #32 of the St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning at Wrigley Field on June 07, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)

CHICAGO (AP) -- Cole Hamels threw eight innings of three-hit shutout ball, Javier Baez hit a two-run homer and the Chicago Cubs topped the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 on Friday.

Suarez's homer helps Reds rally past Cubs 6-5 at Wrigley Field

Eugenio Suárez's home run in the ninth inning lifted the Reds to a series-opening win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday.

The Cubs have won 4 of 5 since being swept in a three -game series at St. Louis last weekend. The Cardinals opened a season-high 10 Giovanny Gallegos entered and pitched two scoreless innings as three Cardinals relievers shut out the Cubs the rest of the way. Baez went deep to right center on

Daily Recap: Jason Hammel tossed seven scoreless innings and Javier Baez blasted a two-run homer in the Cubs ' 4- 1 win over the Brewers Check out

The Cubs have won four of five since being swept in a three-game series at St. Louis last weekend. The Cardinals opened a season-high 10 game road trip that will take them Miami and then to New York to face the Mets.

BOX SCORE: CUBS 3, CARDINALS 1

Before starting up at Wrigley Field, the Cubs finalized a three-year contract with Craig Kimbrel that guarantees the closer $43 million.

Hamels (5-2) was sharp again, striking out a season-high 10 and walking one after a hard-luck loss last Sunday at St. Louis when he allowed two hits and one unearned run in seven innings. Harrison Bader, who doubled in the second, was the only Cardinal to reach second base off the left-hander.

Hamels struck out the side in the eighth to finish strong. Pedro Strop gave up a home run in the ninth to Paul DeJong before finishing for his sixth save in eight chances.

Carpenter's single in the 10th lifts Cardinals past Cubs 2-1

Matt Carpenter hit a game-ending single against an unusual defensive alignment in the 10th inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1. The Cardinals won back-to-back games for the first time since April 30-May 1 and avoided the worst winning percentage for May in franchise history by going 9-18.

Daily Recap: Cole Hamels pitched 7 2/ 3 innings of shutout ball and Rougned Odor hit a solo homer in the Rangers 1 -0 win over the Cardinals Check out

Daily Recap: Anthony Rizzo has three hits and Javier Baez 's defense helps the Cubs hold off the Padres 5-4 in extra innings About Major League Baseball

Baez's 16th homer was his third in five games. Victor Caratini had two hits, including an RBI double.

Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas (4-6) exited after four innings with a bruised right forearm. He was struck by David Bote's hard comebacker, knocked the ball down and tossed to first for the final out in the bottom of the fourth.

Giovanny Gallegos entered and pitched two scoreless innings as three Cardinals relievers shut out the Cubs the rest of the way.

Baez went deep to right center on an 0-2 pitch with two outs in the first for a 2-0 lead.

With two outs in the fourth, Jason Heyward and Caratini lined back-to-back doubles to make it 3-0.

The 31-year-old Kimbrel helped Boston win the World Series, then turned down a $17.9 million qualifying offer from the Red Sox in November.

Kimbrel was optioned to Triple-A Iowa and will report to the Cubs training facility in Mesa, Arizona. The right-hander had been training in Florida as he awaited a deal.

Wild Wainwright, Cardinals sweep slumping Cubs

The St. Louis Cardinals beat Cole Hamels and the Chicago Cubs 2-1 Sunday for a three-game sweep. The Cardinals got just four hits in their fourth straight win. Chicago was limited to three hits, and lost for the sixth time in seven games. BOX SCORE: CARDINALS 2, CUBS 1 Wainwright (5-5) didn't allow a hit until Kris Bryant singled with one out in the sixth. He gave up two hits and struck out eight while throwing 126 pitches. A three-time All-Star, Wainwright walked three of his first five batters.

Daily Recap: Javier Baez homered in the 6th and delivered a go-ahead squeeze bunt in the 10th to lift the Cubs over the Nationals, 4- 3 About Major League

Daily Recap: Cole Hamels pitched 7 2/ 3 innings of shutout ball and Rougned Odor hit a solo homer in the Rangers 1 -0 win over the Cardinals Check out

Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein didn't set an exact timetable for Kimbrel's return to the majors.

LONDON TOWN

Major League Baseball confirmed a two-game series in London between the Cubs and Cardinals at West Ham's Olympic Stadium on June 13-14, 2020.

WACHA SET TO RETURN TO ROTATION

Struggling RHP Michael Wacha (3-2, 6.30 ERA) is the tentative starter when the Cardinals open a three-game series Monday in Miami. He's come out of the bullpen for his last two appearances after giving up six earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in a start against Kansas City on May 22.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cardinals: C Yadier Molina (right thumb tendon strain) is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list Saturday, but manager Mike Shildt said the nine-time All Star won't rejoin the club until later in the Cardinals road swing. ''We can't push it,'' Shildt said. ''There's a tear, it has to heal, for grip strength and long-term.''

UP NEXT

Cardinals RHP Jack Flaherty (4-3, 3.76) faces Cubs LHP Jon Lester (4-4, 3.32) on Saturday night. Lester rebounded from a three-game personal slump with a solid seven-inning win over the Angels last Monday when he allowed a run on four hits. Flaherty beat the Cubs in a five-inning outing in St. Louis last weekend.

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