CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Carpenter’s homer streak is over. Jose Quintana was that good.

Quintana pitched seven effective innings, keeping Carpenter in the ballpark and helping the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Sunday.

“Everything kept getting sharper,” manager Joe Maddon said. “We needed him to go more deeply in the game. And he did.”

Quintana (9-6) allowed two runs and six hits, struck out six and walked four in his first start since July 10. The left-hander also matched his career high with 121 pitches after he got an extended break to work with pitching coach Jim Hickey on his changeup and get over some shoulder fatigue.

“We worked on that (changeup) the last couple starts and the last couple bullpen sessions,” Quintana said through a translator. “It was more just having the confidence to throw it, not so much the grip, but it was something I felt like I was able to use in certain spots.”

Kyle Schwarber hit a tiebreaking solo homer off Mike Mayers (2-1) with two out in the sixth inning, and the Cubs broke it open with three runs in the eighth. The NL Central leaders took three of five from the Cardinals in their first series after the All-Star break and moved 3 1/2 games ahead of second-place Milwaukee.

Carpenter’s homer streak ended at six games, a single-season record for St. Louis. The infielder went deep six times in the first four games of the series, including three homers in Friday’s 18-5 victory.

Carpenter ended his streak of 12 consecutive hits for extra bases when he led off the game with a bunt single. Third baseman Kris Bryant joined the Cubs’ outfielders during Carpenter’s at-bat, and Carpenter responded with the bunt to the left side.

“What a teammate,” manager Mike Shildt said. “He goes out and he’s clearly on a streak of consecutive games with a home run and in the first inning he’s gonna lay down a bunt because that’s what the opposition gives us.”

Carpenter advanced on Yadier Molina’s double and scored on Paul DeJong’s sacrifice fly. Carpenter was 1 for 12 against Quintana before the bunt hit.

Quintana intentionally walked Carpenter with runners at second and third in the second inning before striking out Molina looking.

Quintana struck out Carpenter swinging with one on after Yairo Munoz hit an RBI double in the fourth.

“I’m glad the manager had faith in me in a tight game to go out there and go seven innings,” Quintana said.

The Cubs pushed across two runs in the bottom half of the fourth, tying it at 2. Ian Happ smacked an RBI double down the right-field line and Willson Contreras hit a two-out RBI single to left.

Bryant hit an RBI single off Mayers in the seventh, and Contreras, Albert Almora Jr. and Anthony Rizzo each had a run-scoring single in the eighth.

Carpenter popped out with two on in the ninth against Randy Rosario.

Dexter Fowler and Yairo Munoz each had two hits for the Cardinals, who have dropped seven of 11. Miles Mikolas gave up two runs and six hits in five innings.

“He was good super good, had all his pitches going, everything working in a tight ballgame,” Shildt said. “I made a decision to hit for him. Different decision, different ballgame.”

HE SAID IT

“I don’t think it’s helped them a whole lot in this series. Unless they can put someone in the bleachers,” Shildt said about the Cubs playing four outfielders against Carpenter.

ON THE MOVE

Cardinals: RHP Luke Weaver, who was the 26th man for Saturday’s doubleheader and started Game 1, returned to the minors. He is expected to return next weekend to make a start.

Cubs: RHP Dillon Maples was optioned to Triple-A Iowa.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: INF Jedd Gyorko (illness) is feeling much better after sitting out Saturday’s doubleheader, Shildt said. Gyorko grounded out as a pinch hitter with two on in the sixth inning and stayed in the game.

Cubs: RHP Yu Darvish (right elbow impingement and inflammation) threw from 135 feet on flat ground and could throw off a mound soon. He has been on the disabled list since May 23. “Just making an educated guess, you can’t be overly reliant on somebody who hasn’t been able to be healthy and perform this year at the same time,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. “You track the rehab closely because you have to try to anticipate what he might be able to give you. Today was his best day in a long time. He threw really well and felt really good.” . LHP Drew Smyly (Tommy John surgery) threw a simulated game and is expected to throw another one Thursday.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Daniel Poncedeleon will make his major league debut Monday at Cincinnati. He underwent surgery in 2017 to relieve pressure around his brain after he was hit in the head by a line drive while pitching for Triple-A Memphis. RHP Luis Castillo (5-8, 5.49 ERA) is set to start for the Reds.

Cubs: RHP Luke Farrell (3-3, 3.86 ERA) will start Monday’s series opener against the Diamondbacks, who will start LHP Patrick Corbin (6-4, 3.24 ERA).

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — Jason Heyward had three hits and two RBI, Ian Happ belted a two-run homer and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 on Thursday night in baseball’s first game after the All-Star break.

Anthony Rizzo added two doubles from the leadoff spot as Chicago kicked off a five-game series against St. Louis with its fourth consecutive victory. Victor Caratini had three hits and scored three times, and Ben Zobrist delivered a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the Cubs’ five-run fifth inning.

With Chicago and St. Louis returning a day earlier than the rest of the majors, Cubs manager Joe Maddon held All-Stars Willson Contreras and Javier Baez out of the starting lineup. Caratini and Zobrist picked up the slack quite nicely as the NL Central leaders increased their advantage to a season-high three games over idle Milwaukee.

Yadier Molina matched a career high with four hits for St. Louis, but interim manager Mike Shildt was handed his first loss in his second game in charge after Mike Matheny was fired Saturday night. Tommy Pham and Matt Carpenter each hit a solo homer.

The Cardinals had a 3-1 lead before the Cubs started teeing off on Carlos Martinez (6-6) in the fifth.

Caratini singled, advanced to second on shortstop Paul DeJong’s throwing error and scored on Rizzo’s stinging double into the gap in right-center. Heyward hit a tying RBI single and Zobrist followed with a fly ball to center, driving in Kris Bryant for a 4-3 lead.

Happ then hit a drive deep to right-center for his 12th homer. He also went deep in his previous game, connecting for a solo shot in Saturday night’s 11-6 victory at San Diego.

Brian Duensing (3-0) got the last out of the fifth for the win. Pedro Strop got one out for his third save after the Cubs placed closer Brandon Morrow on the 10-day disabled list as part of a flurry of pregame moves.

Martinez allowed six runs, five earned, and seven hits in five innings. The right-hander went 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his previous four starts.

Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks also struggled, yielding nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. But he wiggled out of a couple jams while limiting the Cardinals to three runs.

WATCH OUT

Umpire Kerwin Danley staggered away from the plate after taking Bryant’s foul ball off his mask in the eighth. Molina helped steady Danley while a Cubs trainer came out of the dugout.

Danley stayed in the game after the trainer checked him out.

A LITTLE RELIEF

The Cubs acquired right-handed reliever Jesse Chavez from Texas for minor league pitcher Tyler Thomas in a deal announced after the game. Chavez is 3-1 with a 3.51 ERA this season. He was drafted by Chicago in the 39th round of the 2001 draft but did not sign.

MAKING MOVES

Morrow is dealing with right biceps inflammation. The DL stint is retroactive to Monday.

“It’s been bothering him a bit, but we thought it was manageable, but now it’s not,” Maddon said. “So we just have to take a little bit of a break. We don’t anticipate him being gone for a long time.”

Morrow, who turns 34 next Thursday, has 22 saves and a 1.47 ERA in 35 games.

The Cubs also activated outfielder Albert Almora Jr. and relievers Carl Edwards Jr. and Anthony Bass. Almora was placed on the family medical emergency list Sunday. Edwards was on the paternity list, and Bass was sidelined by an illness.

Infielder David Bote and reliever Rob Zastryzny were sent down to Triple-A Iowa.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: OF Harrison Bader was available off the bench after leaving Sunday’s 6-4 victory over Cincinnati with a hyperextended left knee.

Cubs: SS Addison Russell was visited by a trainer after making a diving stop behind second on Kolten Wong’s RBI single. But he stayed in the game. … SS Nico Hoerner, Chicago’s first-round pick in last month’s draft, hurt his left elbow diving for a ball in his fourth game with Class A South Bend. He will miss the rest of the season with the ligament injury, but he said he doesn’t think he will need surgery and could play again in the fall.

UP NEXT

Cubs ace Jon Lester and Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty get the ball on Friday afternoon. Lester (12-2, 2.58 ERA) is 8-0 with a 2.80 ERA in his last nine starts. Flaherty (3-4, 3.24 ERA) pitched five shutout innings in a no-decision against Cincinnati in his previous start on Saturday.

— Associated Press —