John Gant and five relievers combined for a shutout as the Cardinals beat the Pirates 5-0 at Busch Stadium. Gant helped his own cause with a home run in the third inning. Harrison Bader also went deep as St. Louis took two-of-three from Pittsburgh. The NL wild card-leading Cardinals have won 10 consecutive series and are a MLB-best 21-and-6 in August.
>>Cardinals Face Reds Tonight In Series Opener
The red-hot Cardinals open a three-game set with the Reds tonight at Busch Stadium. Austin Gomber opposes Cincinnati’s Homer Bailey. The Cards are 75-and-59 after taking two-of-three from the Pirates. They hold the top spot in NL wild-card race and are four and a half games behind the Cubs in the NL Central.
>>Cubs Beat Braves In Makeup Game
Tommy La Stella drilled a pinch-hit, go-ahead homer in the sixth as the Cubs edged the Braves 5-4 in a makeup game in Atlanta. Willson Contreras also drove in two runs for Chicago, which remains four and a half games ahead in the NL Central. Mike Montgomery allowed four runs in less than five innings in his first start back from the DL.
>>Cain Lifts Brewers Past Reds In 11th Inning
Lorenzo Cain clubbed a solo home run in the top of the 11th inning to lift the Brewers past the Reds 2-1 in Cincinnati. Christian Yelich walked with the bases loaded in the fifth to plate Milwaukee’s other run. Joakim Soria picked up his first win with the Crew and Josh Hader notched his 11th save. The Brewers took two-of-three in the series.
