Arrieta, Rizzo lead Cubs over Cards in doubleheader opener

Louis Cardinals in a day-night doubleheader to gain two games on the National League Central leaders.

Pittsburgh’s Pedro Alvarez singled home the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning, sending the Pirates to a 2-1 win against San Diego.

MINNEAPOLIS – Brian Dozier hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning to lift Minnesota to the victory.

“Making the dive, I knew there would be a chance to be a double play and the rest was just reaction”, Wong said.

Alvarez’s second career game-ending hit also beat his father-in-law, Padres interim manager Pat Murphy. His last four starts: 3-0, 1.17 ERA and almost eight innings a start.

Addison Russell batted next with the bases loaded but struck out, thus depriving Lester of the opportunity to score the first run of his career. He surrendered a solo home run to Drew Stubbs in the third and an RBI single to Troy Tulowitzki in the sixth that extended his hitting streak to 19 games.

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta (27) forces out Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant and throws to first base to complete a double play during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 6, 2015, in Chicago. That was followed by Yadier Molina’s run-scoring sacrifice fly, and Kolten Wong’s RBI single that put St. Louis ahead 2-0.

Playing against St Louis, Lester broke his 66-game drought when he hit a single off Cardinals opposite John Lackey with his shot ricocheting off the pitcher’s leg, allowing him to scamper to safety.

The Cards and Cubs start a four-game series with a rainy Cards win.

Despite pitching well enough to win, Kluber (4-9) went 0-4 with two no-decisions in his previous six starts. The All-Star left-hander finished with six strikeouts while outpitching ex- mentor Mark Buehrle (9-5), who also went the distance.

Beeler tried to help his cause with a third-inning lead-off double to the center-field wall on Cooney’s first pitch. The Cardinals gave Motte a bit of trouble after he gave up a couple singles to lead off the inning.

Lawrie pulled an 0-2 breaking ball just inside the left-field foul pole for his eighth home run.

Rizzo set a modern franchise record in the first inning of the second game when he was hit by a pitch for the 18th time. He also got some timely help from one of his teammates. Cardinals left-right hander Seth Maness (3-1) pitched one inning and was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. Lackey has thrown at least seven innings and allowed two or fewer runs in five consecutive starts.