Yadier Molina and Paul DeJong on Saturday homered on Craig Kimbrel’s first two pitches in the ninth inning, and the St Louis Cardinals handed the reeling Chicago Cubs their fifth straight loss with a 9-8 victory.
“We don’t give up,” Molina said. “Today was a perfect example. We’re never going to give up.”
Marcell Ozuna also connected as the National League Central-leading Cardinals (88-67) won for the fifth time in six games. Dexter Fowler had two hits and two RBIs, while Paul Goldschmidt drove in two runs.
Photo: AFP
The Cubs (82-73) used pinch-hit homers by Ian Happ and Tony Kemp and a solo drive by rookie Nico Hoerner to carry an 8-7 lead into the ninth inning. It looked as if they were on their way to stopping a costly slide that pushed them out of playoff position.
However, Kimbrel (0-4) was hit hard again in his first appearance since he gave up Matt Carpenter’s 10th-inning homer in the Cubs’ 5-4 loss on Thursday last week.
“It’s really a difficult loss based on all the good things we did today,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.
Molina jumped on Kimbrel’s elevated fastball for his ninth homer, touching off a rollicking celebration on the Cardinals’ side of the field. Kimbrel looked stunned as the ball soared into the bleachers in left-center field.
DeJong then belted an even deeper drive for his 28th homer, completing the Cardinals’ seventh set of back-to-back shots this year.
“Yadi did a great job by hitting a tough pitch, and I was ready for another fastball and I got it,” he said.
Signed in early June, Kimbrel has allowed a career-high nine homers in only 20-2/3 innings this year, and blown three of 16 save chances. He permitted seven home runs last season in 62-1/3 innings with the Boston Red Sox.
“First and second pitch of the inning — felt like I made two competitive pitches that I wanted to, and they went out,” he said. “It’s just frustrating. I mean that’s the only thing I can say.”
John Gant (11-1) got the last out of the eighth inning for the win and Carlos Martinez finished for his 23rd save. It is the first three-game win streak for the Cardinals at Wrigley Field since June 2016.
Kris Bryant led off the Cubs’ ninth inning with a walk before Martinez retired three in a row while pitching for the fourth consecutive day. Maddon sent Javier Baez up to hit for Kimbrel with two out, but the All-Star slugger struck out, swinging on three pitches in his first plate appearance since he broke his left thumb.
“That’s what this team does,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “It cares and it fights.”
Ozuna’s two-run shot off Kyle Ryan gave the Cardinals a 7-6 lead in the top half of the seventh inning, but the Cubs rallied in the bottom half.
Pinch-hitting with Ben Zobrist on second base after a one-out double, Kemp swung and missed at strike three, but Giovanny Gallegos was called for a balk. Given a second chance, Kemp hit a drive that drifted over the wall in center field on a breezy afternoon.
The crowd of 40,071 roared as Kemp circled the bases with his first homer since he was acquired in a July 31 trade with the Houston Astros.
Also on Saturday, it was:
‧ Brewers 10, Pirates 1
‧ Reds 3, Mets 2
‧ Nationals 10, Marlins 4
‧ Royals 12, Twins 5
‧ Phillies 9, Indians 4
‧ Rays 5, Red Sox 4
‧ Athletics 12, Rangers 3
‧ Angels 8, Astros 4
‧ Yankees 7, Blue Jays 2
‧ Rockies 4, Dodgers 2
‧ Braves 8, Giants 1
‧ Diamondbacks 4, Padres 2
‧ Mariners 7, Orioles 6
‧ White Sox 5, Tigers 3
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