Molina exits with thumb sprain as Cardinals beat Cubs 4-3

NOTES: Cardinals C Yadier Molina returned to the starting lineup after sitting out the previous two games for rest…. I haven’t seen the replay.

Though Molina has been worth only 1.3 Wins Above Replacement this season and was hitting.152 this month (7-for-46), he’s a player the Cardinals can’t afford to lose. In the ninth, the Cardinals halted another Cubs rally when pinch-runner Quintin Berry was thrown out trying to steal second base, his first caught-stealing of his major-league career (he had been 25-for-25 prior to Sunday).

It took a flawless throw to get Rizzo, and Heyward made it. Trevor Rosenthal then came in to strike out Miguel Montero to end the threat. The Yankees are now 11-4 in their last 15 road games while the Mets are 7-3 with the over in their last 10 interleague contests. King Felix is 5-0 against Texas this year. Now, things are much more crowded atop that division, and the Cubs’ great play lately is making the race very interesting.

Aaron Brooks (2-4) took the loss. Rookie Addison Russell lifted a ball to right-center field. He remained in the game through the remainder of the inning, but replaced by Tony Cruz behind the plate for the ninth. Garcia is 6-1 with a 3.02 ERA since August . 1.

Robbie Ross Jr. finished for his fourth save and second in two days. The New York Yankees now hold the top wild card spot.

A day after the Angels swept a day-night doubleheader, Duffey (4-1) stopped the Twins’ five-game losing streak. But when he finally put a ball in play it went to the second baseman for an out.

The win pulled Minnesota (76-73) even with Los Angeles (76-73) in the American League wild card race, though both teams are still on the outside looking in.

Kendrys Morales hit three solo home runs plus a triple to set a club record for total bases in a game as the Kansas City Royals overpowered the Detroit Tigers.

The next batter, Dexter Fowler, singled to chase Martinez from the game. Castro was the seventh hit batter in the tense series.

Rizzo has been hit by a pitch an MLB-leading 29 times this season. Starter Ariel Pena allowed a pair of runs over five frames with Kyle Lohse giving up two more.

Kirby Yates (1-0) got two outs for the win. Bryce Harper had three hits, including a double, and scored three times. Leake has won only one of his seven starts since being acquired from Cincinnati in late July.

Justin Nicolino (3-4) allowed seven runs in 5 2-3 innings. The Cubs, meanwhile, stay home to host the Milwaukee Brewers for three.

Xander Bogaerts also homered for the Red Sox. Wily Peralta draws the series opening start against the postseason hopeful Cubs. He struck out seven but walked four. Jonathan Papelbon got his 24th save. Pedro Alvarez had a go-ahead homer in the fourth.

Chicago is five games behind first-place St. Louis, which got a two-run home run from Matt Carpenter in the ninth.

Toronto Blue Jays’ right fielder Jose Bautista breaks his bat as he hit a single to left field against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, September 20, 2015 in Toronto. He also leads the Cubs with 30 homers. The Phillies have dropped five straight and 13 of 16.