Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina exits with left thumb sprain

Toronto has lost back to back games just three times since the All-Star Break. Unfortunately, one of those hits was a pop-fly double by Matt Carpenter in the third. The second pitcher, Trevor Cahill (1-3), entered with two outs in the third and earned his first cubs with the Cubs by pitching 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

Castro spanked a three-run homer, a two-run circuit clout and drove in another run to help elevated the Cubs past the Cardinals, 8-3, in Chicago.

CHICAGO (AP) – The odds of the Cubs overtaking first-place St. Louis in the NL Central were diminished Sunday, but Chicago’s confidence wasn’t.

The NL Central-leading Cardinals have already clinched a postseason slot.

Molina will undergo additional tests on the thumb Monday.

After scoring six runs in the 5 inning, the Cubs won the final game of a four-game series against the Pirates yesterday afternoon, 9-6. ESPN reported that Maddon said hitting Garcia in that situation doesn’t make any sense.

The Cubs and Pirates will meet for a crucial weekend series in Wrigley Field starting Friday, September 25, that will very likely determine which team gets the home field advantage in the N.L Wild Card game. The Cubs lost a game in the standings and saw a five game winning end in a 4-3 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday. Right fielder Jason Heyward had the assist, throwing out Rizzo on the no-out, bases-loaded fly for a double play.

Matt Adams replaced Molina as a pinch hitter when his spot in the lineup came up in the next inning.

“It hurt”, Molina said.

In case you were wondering why it took so long to post this, I was waiting for the end of the Pirates/Dodgers game, just completed with a 4-3 Pirates win. “I guess we aren’t going to have a hundred losses, so that’s kind of a big deal, I guess”. With nobody out, Cruz threw out pinch-runner Quintin Berry attempting to steal.

Carlos Martinez (14-7) threw four-hit ball into the seventh.

Cardinals rookies Tommy Pham and Stephen Piscotty homered.

The Cubs would go on to score their last run in the eighth on a walk-in RBI off Kevin Seigrist to cut Cardinals lead, 4-3.

Martinez retired 11 consecutive at one point and finished with six strikeouts. His only trouble came in the third, when he walked two then allowed a two-run single to Rizzo.

Francisco Liriano (11-7) allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings, striking out nine.

“If we get fortunate enough to face these guys [in the NLDS], we’ll be right there with ’em”.

This is the fifth season in a row that the St Louis Cardinals have made the playoffs.

A lot of fans seem, with St. Louis’ recent struggles, to be losing faith in a team that is on pace to win more than 100 games.

Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson will remain in a hospital for at least a second night after being hit in the head by a line drive. They’re mostly rookies trying to find themselves and not almost as abrasive as say Bryce Harper was during his first season.

Morales hit three solo shots and scored five runs. “After that, I thought he had really good stuff”.