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Cubs, Cards Win Monday

>>Denorfia HR Sends Cubs To Victory Over Royals

Chris Denorfia hit a pinch-hit home run leading off the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

 width=Denorfia hit the first pitch from reliever Miguel Almonte (0-2) into the left-field bleacher for the Cubs' major league-leading 13th walk-off victory of the season. It was Denorfia's third homer of the season.

Fernando Rodney (2-0) pitched a scoreless top of the 11th to get the win.

The homer ended a pitcher's duel that was a makeup of a May 30 rainout. Both teams combined for eight hits.

Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks allowed just two hits in six scoreless innings. He walked two and tied a career high with nine strikeouts. He was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth after throwing 90 pitches.

>>Cardinals Get Big Win But Lose Rookie OF

The Cardinals drew closer to a third straight NL Central title on Monday night with a 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, a triumph dimmed by a frightening collision between outfielders Stephen Piscotty and Peter Bourjos in the seventh that ended with Piscotty in the hospital.

Piscotty and Bourjos were tracking a fly ball to the gap in left-center by Pittsburgh's Josh Harrison when Bourjos' left knee slammed into a diving Piscotty's head. Bourjos made the catch while his rookie teammate lay motionless on the grass at PNC Park.

 width=Piscotty was strapped to a backboard and carted off, his head bloodied, though he managed to raise his left hand before disappearing into a tunnel. The Cardinals said tests on Piscotty were negative. He was expected to remain in the hospital overnight for observation.

St. Louis recovered in time to reduce its magic number to clinch a third straight NL Central title to two after getting to Pittsburgh closer Mark Melancon (3-2). The Cardinals can wrap up the division crown with a win in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.

Matt Carpenter singled with one out in the ninth and scored all the way from first to break a scoreless tie when Pittsburgh right fielder Gregory Polanco overran Jon Jay's hit and center fielder Andrew McCutchen couldn't pick the ball up cleanly.

Reynolds then drilled his 12th homer of the year to give closer Trevor Rosenthal some cushion for his 48th save. Jonathan Broxton (4-5) earned the win on a night the Pirates crowded the basepaths but never crossed home plate.

The Cardinals survived on a night they issued 10 walks. Pittsburgh put runners on base in every inning except the first, but none could find their way home on a night the Pirates went 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position, including 0 for 3 in the ninth with the tying run at the plate.

St. Louis starter Lance Lynn labored his way through five scoreless innings, most of them out of the stretch while the Pirates kept wasting opportunities to take control. Starling Marte was nailed at the plate to end the second while trying to score on a shallow fly to center by Jordy Mercer - Jason Heyward's throw beat the speedy Marte by three steps.

Marte then struck out with the bases loaded to end the third. Polanco led off the fifth with a double only to run into an out at third on a chopper to shortstop by Josh Harrison. Lynn needed 96 pitches to retire 15 batters, walking four with six strikeouts.

Pittsburgh starter J.A. Happ, a revelation since being acquired at the non-waiver trade deadline from Seattle, was decidedly more efficient. The lefthander allowed only Kolten Wong's single leading off the third.

St. Louis can wrap up the division on Tuesday when Michael Wacha (17-6, 3.15) faces Pittsburgh's Charlie Morton (9-8, 4.54). Wacha is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in six games against the Pirates. Morton is 2-11 in his career against the Cardinals, his last victory coming on April 4, 2011.

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