>>Molina Leads Cardinals Past Brewers

 

Yadier Molina hit two solo home runs, Kolten Wong added a two-run double, Luke Weaver pitched into the seventh inning and the St. Louis Cardinals held on for a 5-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night.

 

Molina homered in the fourth and then crushed the first pitch from Brent Suter (2-2) leading off the sixth over the wall in left for his 12th of the season and fourth career multi-homer game.

 

Molina doubled in the second and advanced Jedd Gyorko to third. He scored on Luke Voit's ground out with the bases loaded and tied the game.

 

Weaver (1-1) made one mistake in the first and Eric Thames hit it for his 25th home run of the season. Weaver regrouped and held the Brewers scoreless until Hernan Perez's one-out RBI single in the seventh.

 

Weaver allowed five hits, struck out eight and walked two over 6 1/3 innings in his first road start of the season and second for Adam Wainwright (mid-back tightness). He took a 4-0 loss to Arizona in his first start on July 27 after being recalled for the second time this season.

 

Jeremy Jeffress, who made his first appearance since being reacquired Monday in a trade with the Texas Rangers, took over for Suter with runners at first and second and one out in the sixth. One out later, Wong drove in the final two runs of the inning.

 

Suter struck out seven, walked one and allowed five runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

 

Jesus Aguilar hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer off John Brebbia in the eighth. Trevor Rosenthal got the last four outs for his seventh save.

 

1B Matt Carpenter was scratched from the lineup with right hip discomfort.

 

Michael Wacha (8-4, 3.71 ERA) brings a 4-0 career mark (4.81 ERA) in nine games (eight starts) against the Brewers in his 20th start of the season. He's been one of the best in the NL over the span of his last six outings. He is 5-1 with a 1.86 ERA.

 

>>Blue Jays Power Past White Sox

 

J.A. Happ had a season-high 10 strikeouts in seven innings, matching his longest start of the season, as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1 on Wednesday.

 

Happ (4-8) gave up a run and six hits while walking one to get his first win since July 4. He last got through seven innings in his first start of the season on April 5.

 

Justin Smoak extended his hitting streak to nine games and reached base three times for the Blue Jays, who won two of three in a matchup of last-place teams. Steve Pearce and Josh Donaldson added solo home runs.

 

Happ struck out the side in his final inning and the Blue Jays won for the second time in his last eight starts and also won for the third time in four games.

 

The Toronto bullpen struck out the side in the eighth inning around two walks, as Dominic Leone, Aaron Loup and Joe Biagini preserved the lead. Roberto Osuna entered with two on and nobody out in the ninth inning, and set down three straight batters to earn his 27th save.

 

The Blue Jays were playing for the 20th straight day since the All-Star break and have a day off Thursday before a three-game weekend series against the AL-leading Houston Astros.

 

Derek Holland (5-11) gave up two runs and five hits with four walks in six innings. The left-hander came into the game with a 9.46 ERA in his past 10 starts.

 

Leury Garcia had an RBI single in the sixth inning for the rebuilding White Sox, who lost for the 19th time in 23 games.

 

Miguel Gonzalez (5-9, 4.59) starts Thursday in the opener of four-game series at Boston against Red Sox LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (4-3 4.16).

 

>>Godley, Dbacks Blank Cubs

 

Zack Godley pitched three-hit ball over six innings, Jake Lamb drove in all the runs, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the surging Chicago Cubs 3-0 on Wednesday night.

 

The loss was just the fourth in 18 games since the All-Star break for the NL Central-leading Cubs. The defending champions got shut down by Godley after pouring on a season-high 16 runs in Tuesday's romp.

 

Lamb hit a two-run double against Jake Arrieta in the sixth and an RBI double off Justin Wilson in the eighth.

 

Godley (5-4) was every bit as stingy after tossing seven scoreless innings in a win at St. Louis last week.

 

Godley struck out five and walked two. In his past two starts, the right-hander has allowed seven hits while striking out 12 and walking four.

 

Godley and three relievers combined to retire the final 19 batters, with Andrew Chafin, Archie Bradley and Fernando Rodney each working an inning. Rodney got his 23rd save in 28 chances, and the Diamondbacks came away with the win after dropping three of four.

 

Jake Arrieta (10-8) allowed two runs (one earned) and three hits in seven innings. He struck out eight and walked two. 

 

Jose Quintana (2-1, 2.37 ERA) makes his fourth start since the Cubs acquired him from the White Sox, while Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (13-4, 2.84) looks to extend his unbeaten streak. He is 5-0 in his past six starts.