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Cubs Win; Sox, Cardinals Lose

>>Cubs Win, Sweep Pirates
 
Kris Bryant hit his 36th homer and made three solid plays at third base, helping Jason Hammel and the Chicago Cubs top the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-5 on Wednesday night for a three-game series sweep.
Addison Russell had two RBIs and an outstanding sliding catch as Chicago equaled the best August in franchise history with a 22-6 record, also accomplished in 1932. It was the Cubs' first time with 22 wins in a month since it went 22-10 in September 1945.
 
Heading into the final stretch of the season, the Cubs (85-47) are rapidly closing in on their first division title since 2008. They begin September with the majors' best record at a season-high 38 games over .500 and a whopping 15-game lead over second-place St. Louis in the NL Central.
 
Pittsburgh (67-64) closed out a 4-3 trip that began with a sweep in Milwaukee. It trails the Cardinals by 2 1/2 games for the second NL wild card.
 
Mike Montgomery (1-1, 3.50 ERA) gets the ball when Chicago hosts San Francisco in the opener of a four-game set on Thursday night. RHP Jeff Samardzija (11-9, 4.50 ERA), who played for the Cubs for seven years, pitches for the Giants.
 
>>Jones Leads Tigers Past White Sox
 
JaCoby Jones doubled twice in his second major league game, then dashed home for the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Collins in the ninth inning to lift the Detroit Tigers over the Chicago White Sox 3-2 on Wednesday.
After a day after doubling, singling and driving in two runs in his debut, Jones scored twice to help the Tigers complete a three-game sweep.
 
Jones hit a leadoff double in the ninth against David Robertson (4-3) and advanced to third on Jarrod Saltalamacchia's deep flyball.
 
Collins came up as a pinch-hitter and was able to lift the ball to left-center. Avisail Garcia made the catch, but his throw bounced before it even reached the mound.
 
Francisco Rodriguez (2-3) pitched the ninth.
 
Jose Abreu and Alex Avila homered on consecutive pitches in the fourth for the White Sox.
 
Chicago plays at Minnesota on Thursday night. LHP Jose Quintana (11-9) starts against Ervin Santana (6-10).
 
>>Nieuwenhuis, Garza Lead Brew Crew Past Redbirds
 
Matt Garza pitched into the eighth inning for the first time this season, leading his team to a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night.
Garza (5-6) gave up one run and three hits in seven-plus innings while walking two and striking out eight.
 
Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a three-run homer off Luke Weaver (1-2) in the third inning for the Brewers, who snapped a six-game losing streak.
 
Weaver, making his fourth major league start, gave up three runs and four hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out 10, including four straight at one point.
 
The Brewers loaded the bases with one out in the sixth but failed to score off Weaver, who struck out Keon Broxton looking to end the inning.
 
Tyler Thornburg notched his sixth save in 10 chances.
 
Alex Reyes (1-0, 0.64 ERA) will make his second major league start when St. Louis starts a three-game series at Cincinnati on Friday. He had a no-decision in his first start on Saturday against Oakland, allowing one run and two hits in 4 1/3 innings.

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