LEADING OFF: Cards check Molina’s thumb, AL East showdown

St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jason Heyward (22), catches a fly…

The Cardinals had lost the series to the Cubs; and, in Game Three looked to deny a possible sweep and to snap the Cubs five game winning streak.

“They just ambushed (Lester) early”, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. Rookie Addison Russell lifted a ball to right-center field.

In St. Petersburg, Florida, Wei-yin pitched seven effective innings and Adam Jones drove in two runs.

For most of the season, the Cardinals have been the best team in baseball and it seemed that it was a foregone conclusion that they would run away with the NL Central. Heyward reached on an infield single. Tony Watson and Mark Melancon followed with flawless innings of relief, and Melancon got his 48th save. After starting the game by striking out Matt Carpenter, Jon Lester gave up a long home run to Tommy Pham. However, in Sunday’s game, he was retired after the sixth inning.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Pinch-hitter Brandon Guyer led off the ninth inning with a tying homer and Kevin Kiermaier beat out a two-out single for the winning run as Tampa Bay rallied past Baltimore.

Lester went six innings, and gave up four runs on six hits.

As you can imagine, Holliday and the Cardinals were not very happy about the beanball even if it was likely unintentional. One to Dexter Fowler and the second to Chris Coghlan to load the bases. He walked Kris Bryant.

YANKEES 5, METS 0 Carlos Beltran hit a three-run, second-deck home run on a 100 miles per hour fastball from Noah Syndergaard in the first inning, Michael Pineda pitched his best game in two months and the visiting New York Yankees beat the Mets.

“It’s kind of one of those plays”. Ryan tiresome worked the ninth for his first career save.

Molina was injured tagging Anthony Rizzo in the eighth. Rosenthal then got a strikeout and groundout to seal the victory. Cardinals hold their lead, 4-3.

Should Quintin Berry have tried to steal second base with nobody out in the ninth inning? The Brewers had lost nine of ten before breaking loose at the plate with an 8-4 win versus Cincinnati Sunday.

Trevor Rosenthal got his 46th save in 48 chances. Micah Johnson’s fifth-inning single broke a 1-all tie, handing the Indians a costly loss as they attempt to remain in the race for the second AL wild card.

While the games in Chicago were less than satisfactory, road series wasn’t bad on the whole. With the series finale against the Cardinals, I kicked around four or five.

The Pirates were still playing Sunday and are 4 1/2 back of St. Louis.

After the game, his left thumb wrapped in bright red tape, Molina said he would have an MRI on the joint Monday. What transpires for the Cardinals and their MVP catcher will be released later in the day. “You can take that book and read it yourself because I don’t give a crap about that book”. Typically, that isn’t a big deal in a wide open playoff format, but all five NL contenders are poised to top 50 wins at home this season. He will find out today if he is, or is not, released for return. They’ve attempted one every 13.5 against Cruz. It’s not just the Cubs catching up to them, either. Shavonte Zellous added 16 points and Briann January had 14 for the Fever.