>>Cubs Crush Wacha, Cardinals
Jason Hammel pitched 7 1-3 stingy innings and had a two-run double in the Chicago's six-run first as the Cubs went on to rout the St. Louis Cardinals 12-3 on Tuesday night.
Michael Wacha (2-5) gave up a career-worst eight runs in four innings and has lost five consecutive decisions for the first time. The 24-year-old right-hander was a 17-game winner last season and the NL championship series MVP as a rookie in 2013, but this season has a 5.04 ERA.
Jorge Soler drew a bases-loaded walk in the first and hit a two-run home run in the fifth.
The six-run inning was a season-best for the NL Central leaders, who snapped their first three-game losing streak of the season. David Ross had an RBI double for his 500th career hit and Kris Bryant had an RBI single in the outburst.
Hammel (6-1) bounced back from his first loss in his previous start.
Chicago has won Jake Arrieta's last 22 starts, a franchise record. He's 19-0 since his last loss on July 25, 2015 against the Phillies. Arrieta leads the majors with a 1.29 ERA and .153 opponents' batting average.
Carlos Martinez (4-4, 3.56) has lost four consecutive starts for the first time in his career. But he's 3-0 for his career against the Cubs.
>>Indians' Tomlin Outduels Sale
Josh Tomlin beat Chris Sale in a one-sided matchup of unbeaten pitchers and Francisco Lindor had three hits, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 6-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
Tomlin pitched eight innings of two-run ball to become the first Indians starter to reach 7-0 since Dennis Martinez won his first nine decisions in 1995. Sale was knocked out in the fourth, ending his bid to become the first pitcher to win his first 10 starts in a season since Andy Hawkins for San Diego in 1985.
It was baseball's first matchup of 6-0 or better pitchers since 1988, and only the fourth time in major league history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Chris Gimenez homered for Cleveland, which had lost three in a row before Monday's 5-1 victory at Chicago in the second game of a doubleheader. Jose Ramirez walked twice and scored twice, and Mike Napoli drove in two runs.
Corey Kluber (3-5, 4.10 ERA) and White Sox LHP Jose Quintana (5-3, 1.98 ERA) meet in the finale of the four-game series on Wednesday. Kluber is coming off seven innings of two-run ball in a victory at Boston. Quintana has dropped each of his last two starts, allowing four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings in a 4-1 loss to Kansas City on Friday night.
