Cubs 5, Cardinals 4
CHICAGO -- Rookies continue to power the Chicago Cubs.
Right fielder Jorge Soler and third baseman Kris Bryant hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth inning as the Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Saturday.
The Cubs entered the day one game behind the Pittsburgh Pirates for the first National League Wild Card. The Pirates faced the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.
The N.L. Central-leading Cardinals were unable to get a victory they need to clinch a playoff berth.
The game involved some drama a day after Cubs manager Joe Maddon criticized Cardinals reliever Matt Belisle for hitting first baseman Anthony Rizzo with a pitch.
Both benches were warned after the Cubs' Fernando Rodney hit second baseman Kolten Wong in the eighth, the second time Wong was hit.
Hector Rondon hit pinch hitter Greg Garcia in the ninth, resulting in Rondon and Maddon being ejected. Matt Carpenter answered for the Cardinals with a two-run home run, his 24th, off Zac Rosscup to make it 5-3.
Center fielder Tommy Pham and right fielder Jason Heyward hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with none out. Pedro Strop entered and struck out shortstop Jhonny Peralta.
Catcher Yadier Molina made it a one-run game with a sacrifice fly, but Strop got a forceout to end the game.
Cubs reliever Trevor Cahill (1-0) earned the win after striking out
three in 3 1-3 innings.
Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha (16-6) gave up four runs in five innings. He struck out seven but walked two.
Just as they did Friday to win the opener of the three-game series,
the Cubs scored first. Chicago took a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Bryant hit an RBI double and scored on second baseman Starlin Castro's
single.
Wong's sacrifice fly drove in Peralta in the second to cut the Cubs'
lead to one. Catcher David Ross caught the throw from left fielder Chris Denorfia, but the ball came loose as Peralta scored.
The Cardinals put two on with none out against Cahill in the fifth
before he got a fly out and two strikeouts.
Soler homered on Wacha's first pitch in the fifth, his eighth of the season. Bryant followed with his own solo shot, tying the Cubs'
franchise record for home runs by a rookie. Billy Williams also had 25
in 1961. Cubs rookies have hit 63 home runs this season.
Pinch hitter Tommy La Stella's RBI single pushed the lead to 5-1 in the sixth.
Cubs left-hander Travis Wood allowed a run in 2 2-3 innings in a spot start.
NOTES: Cubs CF Dexter Fowler was out of the starting lineup for rest. He entered the game in the sixth in center field. Austin Jackson
started in center and moved to right field. ... Cardinals C Yadier Molina returned to the starting lineup after sitting out the previous two games for rest. ... Cubs RF Jorge Soler (left oblique strain) returned to the lineup. He pinch hit Friday in his first game after being activated from the disabled list. Soler last started on Aug. 23.