>>Cubs Hold Off Brewers
Addison Russell's two-out, two-run triple in the sixth inning snapped a tie and the Chicago Cubs held off the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Thursday night to secure their best 20-game start since 1907.
Anthony Rizzo added an RBI single in the seventh and Adam Warren (2-0) struck out three in two scoreless innings as the Cubs improved to 15-5, surpassing the 1969 club's 14-6 start. The 1907 World Series-winning team began 16-4.
Ryan Braun's pinch-hit, two-run double off Pedro Strop in the eighth got the Brewers within a run. But Hector Rondon pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.
With a 16 mph wind blowing in and the wind chill 34 degrees at first pitch, runs were at a premium, Third baseman Aaron Hill's fielding error to begin the sixth led to two unearned runs off Jimmy Nelson (3-2) in the Brewers' fourth loss in five games.
>>Chris Sale Majors First Five Game Winner, Sox Roll
Chris Sale won again, pitching eight sharp innings and leading the Chicago White Sox over the Toronto Blue Jays 10-1 Tuesday night for their fifth straight win.
Sale (5-0) has won all of his starts this season and leads the majors in victories. The lefty ace has a 1.66 ERA.
Sale carried a one-hitter into the seventh inning, retiring 13 straight batters before Edwin Encarnacion homered. Sale gave up four hits in eight innings, striking out six and walking two.
Dioner Navarro hit a two-run homer and Avisail Garcia and Adam Eaton added solo shots for Chicago.
The three home runs, 15 hits and 10 runs were all season highs for the White Sox.
R.A. Dickey (1-3) allowed six runs and eight hits in six innings. The knuckleballer is winless in his last four outings and dropped to 2-6 in 12 career games against Chicago.
>>Big Fifth Inning Propels Cardinals Past Dbacks
Carlos Martinez gave up three hits in eight scoreless innings, Brandon Moss and Stephen Piscotty homered and the Cardinals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-2 on Tuesday night to square the four-game series at one win apiece.
Martinez (4-0) won for the fourth time in four starts. The 24-year-old right-hander held the Diamondbacks without a hit until David Peralta's one-out single in the fourth.
Moss had four hits, including a three-run homer in the fifth inning. Piscotty added a two-run shot in the seventh.
Former Cardinal Shelby Miller (0-2) threw four scoreless innings before St. Louis broke through for five runs in the fifth. He finished with five innings, allowing five runs and five hits. He struck out six and walked four.
Jake Lamb and Yasmany Tomas homered for Arizona off reliever Tyler Lyons in the ninth.
Matt Holliday was out of the lineup as a precaution after leaving Monday night's game with a right leg cramp.
Adam Wainwright (0-3, 7.25 ERA) takes the mound for St. Louis still looking for his first win of the season.
Patrick Corbin (1-2, 3.51) makes his fifth start of the season for Arizona, in the third game of the four-game series.
