Cody Bellinger homered and drove in three runs, Jameson Taillon pitched into the sixth inning and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Sunday.
Dansby Swanson had two hits and Yan Gomes drove in two runs as Chicago closed out a 6-4 homestand. The Cubs won the last three games of their four-game set against the Cardinals.
Bellinger hit a two-run homer in the first and a sacrifice fly in the third. Continuing his hot stretch, the 2019 NL MVP is batting .381 (43 for 113) with 24 RBIs in 31 games since returning from a bruised knee on June 15.
Bellinger is batting .319 with 14 homers and 44 RBIs in 68 games for the Cubs, but he isn't interested in any declaration that he has re-established himself as one of the game's best hitters.
Nolan Arenado had three hits and Dylan Carlson had a pair of RBI singles for the disappointing Cardinals, who could be one of baseball's most active sellers ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline.
Jordan Montgomery (6-8) allowed seven runs, five earned, and six hits in six innings in his first loss since June 3. He went 4-0 with a 1.47 ERA over his previous seven starts.
Montgomery committed a costly two-out error in the first, dropping Ian Happ's soft comebacker. Bellinger then connected for his 14th homer, a 403-foot shot to the basket in center.
The Cubs broke it open with five runs in the third. Swanson singled in Seiya Suzuki, and consecutive doubles by Gomes and Trey Mancini plated three more runs.
Taillon (4-6) was charged with one run and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked one.
The right-hander has been solid in three straight starts - including an eight-inning outing against the Yankees - after sliding to 2-6.
Taylor Motter started at second base for St. Louis after he was brought up from Triple-A Memphis. The Cardinals optioned infielder José Fermin and released right-hander Jake Walsh.
Adam Wainwright (3-4, 7.66 ERA) faces RHP Ryne Nelson (6-5, 4.82 ERA) at Arizona on Monday.
Kyle Hendricks (3-4, 3.38 ERA) takes the mound against White Sox RHP Michael Kopech (4-8, 4.29 ERA) on Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
