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Cubs Beat White Sox; Cardinals Walk Off Marlins

>>Contreras Powers Cubs Past White Sox

 

Willson Contreras homered twice and drove in five runs, and the Chicago Cubs handed Lucas Giolito his first loss since April by downing the Chicago White Sox 7-3 on Wednesday night.

 

David Bote also connected to help the Cubs bounce back from a tough loss to their crosstown rivals in their first meeting of the season. Jon Lester (6-5) allowed two more homers, but worked into the sixth inning to improve to 3-1 in June.

 

Contreras had his sixth career multihomer game on the third anniversary of his first plate appearance in the majors, a pinch-hit drive for a two-run shot against Pittsburgh. He also cut down speedy Tim Anderson trying to steal third after he led off the fifth with a double.

 

Trying for his ninth win in a row, Giolito (10-2) showed flashes of the dominant stuff that put him in the mix to start next month's All-Star Game in Cleveland. He struck out Kris Bryant three times and fanned Kyle Schwarber twice on a rainy, windy and unseasonably cold night at Wrigley Field.

But Giolito had all sorts of trouble against Contreras.

 

The Cubs loaded the bases in the first on Schwarber's leadoff double and a pair of walks, and Contreras drove a 1-2 changeup into the basket in left field for his third career grand slam . The fiery Contreras yelled and motioned to the crowd as he rounded the bases after his 14th homer.

 

Contreras batted again with two outs in the third and sent a solo shot into the bleachers in left, giving the Cubs a 5-1 lead. He walked in the fifth.

 

Giolito allowed six runs and seven hits, struck out nine and walked three in his first loss since April 6 against Seattle. The 6-foot-6 right-hander went 9-0 with a 1.67 ERA in his previous 11 starts.

 

Leury Garcia homered on Lester's first pitch, and James McCann also went deep for the White Sox.

Yoan Moncada's RBI double trimmed the Cubs' lead to 5-3 in the fourth. The White Sox had a chance for more with runners on second and third, but Lester struck out Giolito and retired Garcia to end the inning.

 

Lester allowed seven hits, struck out six and walked one in 5 2/3 innings. He has given up seven homers in his last three starts.

 

Top pitching prospect Adbert Alzolay will join the team Thursday in case it needs innings behind Tyler Chatwood, who is making his second start of the season.

 

White Sox catcher Zack Collins made his major league debut in the ninth. He walked as a pinch-hitter.

 

Following an off day, Reynaldo Lopez (4-7, 6.31 ERA) starts Friday night at Texas. Lopez is 1-3 with an 8.88 ERA in his last five outings. RHP Ariel Jurado (4-3, 4.23 ERA) pitches for the Rangers in the opener of the weekend set.

 

Chatwood (3-1, 3.60 ERA) gets the ball Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series against the New York Mets. He is stepping in for Kyle Hendricks, who is on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation. RHP Walker Lockett pitches for New York in his Mets debut.

 

>>Goldschmidt Sends Cardinals Over Marlins

 

Paul Goldschmidt hit a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 2-1 victory over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday.

Dexter Fowler had an RBI single in the sixth for the Cardinals, who won for the seventh time in 11 games. Miguel Rojas tied it with a single in the eighth off reliever Carlos Martinez.

 

After beginning the game on the bench, Goldschmidt entered at first base in the ninth. Two innings later, he launched a 453-foot drive on a changeup from Adam Conley (1-7) for his fifth career walk-off home run.

 

St. Louis loaded the bases with none out in the 10th, but Sergio Romo escaped for Miami. He struck out Harrison Bader and got Marcell Ozuna to ground into an 8-4-3 double play started by center fielder JT Riddle as part of a five-man infield.

 

Cardinals starter Daniel Ponce de Leon gave up two hits over six shutout innings and was in line to earn his first major league win before Rojas' single tied it.

 

Ponce de Leon struck out six and walked one in the longest of his three starts this season. It was the first time the right-hander did not allow a run in nine career starts.

 

John Gant (7-0) got the win with a perfect inning.

 

Miami has lost three of four.

 

Rangel Ravelo started in Goldschmidt's spot at first base and got his first major league hit in the sixth.

 

Zac Gallen makes his major league debut Thursday night in St. Louis against his former organization. The 23-year-old righty was 9-1 with a 1.77 ERA at Triple-A, striking out 112 in 91 1/3 innings. He was traded by the Cardinals to Miami in the deal for Ozuna after the 2017 season.

 

The Cardinals plan to reinstate veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright (5-6, 4.46 ERA) from the injured list in the finale of a four-game series. Wainwright strained his left hamstring running the bases June 9. He has two shutouts in 11 career starts against Miami.

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