Cardinals 12, Cubs 0
Cardinals 12, Cubs 0: St. Louis broke open a scoreless game in historic fashion, equaling a franchise record with 12 runs in the seventh inning of a one-sided win against visiting Chicago.
Despite losing starter Matt Garza early to a triceps injury, the Cubs matched zeroes with the Cardinals until St. Louis sent 17 men to the plate in the seventh against a quartet of Chicago pitchers. Rafael Furcal drove in the game's first run on a one-out single to left and came around to score on Skip Schumaker's triple off the center-field wall.
Carlos Beltran extended the lead with a ground-rule double over the right-field wall and David Freese and Jon Jay followed with consecutive two-run doubles. Allen Craig's run-scoring double made it 9-0 and Schumaker continued the onslaught with an RBI double to left.
Matt Holliday then hit the Cardinals' seventh double of the inning, bringing home Furcal and Schumaker to cap St. Louis' largest single-inning output since putting up 12 runs in the third frame of a 23-3 drubbing of the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 16, 1926.
Jake Westbrook (8-8) was the beneficiary of the offensive explosion, limiting the Cubs to three hits over seven shutout innings. He walked two and struck out five.
Garza, the subject of intensifying trade rumors, was removed from the game after just three innings due to cramping in the triceps of his pitching arm. The veteran right-hander was seen flexing his arm in the dugout while talking with pitching coach Chris Bosio.
Justin Germano (0-1) took the loss despite limiting the Cardinals to a run on four hits over three innings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cardinals C Yadier Molina, who was pulled for a pinch-hitter, and 1B Lance Berkman were the only players who did not bat twice in the seventh inning. ... Craig, who pinch hit for Westbrook, finished with a pair of doubles and scored twice in the inning. ... Garza allowed three hits, walking two and striking out three. ... The Cardinals' seven doubles in the seventh tied a major-league record set by the Boston Braves in the first inning of a 20-3 victory over St. Louis on Aug. 25, 1936.