Sports – Page 448 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Perez, surging Royals take down Twins 7-4

Posted on May 24, 2016

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer, Lorenzo Cain had four hits and two RBI, and the Kansas City Royals picked up where their bats left off the night before while beating the tumbling Minnesota Twins 7-4 on Tuesday.

Wade Davis worked a wobbly ninth inning for his 12th save in 13 attempts, preserving the seventh win for the Royals in their last nine contests. They raised their two-game total in Minnesota this week to 30 hits and improved to 5-0 against the Twins this season.

After going 5 for 5 in the series opener, missing the cycle by a home run, Perez went deep just one day and a couple of innings too late. The three-time All-Star catcher followed a leadoff walk by Kendrys Morales in the second inning with a soaring drive off his 2013 teammate Ervin Santana that landed in the grass behind the wall in center field for a 2-0 lead.

That was all Edinson Volquez (5-4) needed to pick up his fifth victory, matching the cumulative total for Twins starters this season.

Volquez has given up four or more runs in four of his last six turns, and he surrendered six hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings in this one. The right-hander struck out six, though, and was stuck with two unearned runs in the fourth when right fielder Paulo Orlando let a clean single by Eduardo Escobar skip off his glove for an error that allowed two Twins to come home.

Escobar had three hits, including a leadoff double against Davis in the ninth, but the Twins lost to the division rival Royals for the eighth straight time at home. They fell to 4-19 against the American League Central this year.

Davis walked two batters after Escobar to load the bases, but he rebounded with strikeouts of Eduardo Nunez, Joe Mauer and a routine fly out by Miguel Sano.

Santana (1-3) lasted only 3 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits, six runs and two walks in the second time this month he failed to finish the fourth inning. The right-hander turned in two strong starts in between, but for the $55 million contract he signed before last season he has not come close to delivering for the Twins.

SURGING ROYALS

Perez has a 10-game hitting streak, batting .415 (17 for 41) during that stretch. He’s a .415 career hitter (22 for 53) at Target Field.

Orlando has an eight-game hitting streak, with a .567 batting average (17 for 30) during this span.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Cheslor Cuthbert played 3B for Mike Moustakas, whose status was again day to day with a bruised knee. … RHP Chris Young (strained forearm) threw a bullpen session before the game, moving a step closer to a return to the rotation.

Twins: Sano moved to DH to give Byung Ho-Park, who ended a 0-for-21 skid with a single on Monday, a break. Sano struck out three times. … 2B Brian Dozier was on the bench for the second straight game, before drawing a pinch-hit walk in the ninth. He’s in a 1-for-19 slide, dropping his batting average to .199.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Dillon Gee (1-0, 2.90 ERA) will make his third start of the season on Wednesday, after picking up his first victory with Kansas City on Friday.

Twins: RHP Tyler Duffey (1-3, 3.30 ERA) will take the mound in the matinee to finish the series, after allowing a season-high six runs to Toronto on Friday.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals get routed by Cubs 12-3

Posted on May 24, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jason Hammel had a lot to do with the early six-run cushion.

The pitcher went above and beyond in helping end the Chicago Cubs’ first three-game losing streak of the season with a 12-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

“Right out of the gate, took my first swings before I made my first pitch,” Hammel said after working 7 1/3 stingy innings and contributing a two-run double to Chicago’s big first.

Hammel has beaten the Cardinals twice this season, allowing two runs in 13 1/3 innings. This was his longest outing of the year, and manager Joe Maddon thought he could have thrown a complete game.

“It’s important for us, it’s important for him psychologically to be able to do that,” Maddon said. “It’s important that they know he can.”

Michael Wacha (2-5) gave up a career-worst eight runs in four innings and has lost five consecutive decisions for the first time. The 24-year-old right-hander was a 17-game winner last season and the NL championship series MVP as a rookie in 2013, but this season has a 5.04 ERA.

“It’s a pretty discouraging start,” Wacha said. “I never really gave the team a chance.”

Jorge Soler drew a bases-loaded walk in the first and hit a two-run home run in the fifth.

The six-run inning was a season-best for the NL Central leaders, who snapped their first three-game losing streak of the season. David Ross had an RBI double for his 500th career hit on a ball that somehow eluded center fielder Randal Grichuk’s glove at the warning track, and Kris Bryant had an RBI single in the outburst.

Hammel (6-1) bounced back from his first loss in his previous start, allowing one run on four hits and retiring the side in order five times. The two-run double gave him a career-best five RBI on the year and his sixth hit in 23 at-bats.

“Nice, let’s focus on that,” Hammel said. “And I’ve got four months to go.”

The outing was his longest since throwing 7 2/3 innings against the Dodgers on June 23, 2015. He’s 6-1 for the second time in his career, also doing it in 2012.

“Honestly, I really wasn’t that good tonight,” Hammel said. “I got away with a lot of stuff.”

Wacha had no losing streak longer than three games prior to this season. In his last three outings he has allowed 20 runs, 16 earned, in 12 innings with all three lasting four innings.

“When the season broke he was as good as anybody,” manager Mike Matheny said. “He found a real good spot and we know what it looks like when he can get into a good rhythm.”

Pinch hitters Tim Fedorowicz and Matt Szcur had an RBI apiece in a four-run ninth off Dean Kiekhefer.

GREAT GRABS

Cardinals rookie SS Aledmys Diaz made an outstanding over-the-shoulder catch in shallow left, the start of a highly unusual 6-4-3 double play to end the second. Kris Bryant singled and had rounded second when Diaz snared Anthony Rizzo’s flare. Diaz tossed to second baseman Kolten Wong, who flipped to first.

Cubs reliever Justin Grimm fielded a smash by Diaz between his legs in the eighth.

UP NEXT

Cubs: Chicago has won Jake Arrieta’s last 22 starts, a franchise record. He’s 19-0 since his last loss on July 25, 2015 against the Phillies. Arrieta leads the majors with a 1.29 ERA and .153 opponents’ batting average.

Cardinals: Carlos Martinez (4-4, 3.56) has lost four consecutive starts for the first time in his career. But he’s 3-0 for his career against the Cubs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: RF Jason Heyward (ribs) returned after missing three games and had two walks.

Cardinals: Jhonny Peralta (thumb) was 2 for 3 and scored a run in a rehab start for Class A Peoria.

GOOD TOSSES

J.R. Hildebrand, who’ll start from the fifth row in the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, was one of two celebrities throwing first pitches. David Eckstein, the World Series MVP in 2006, also got the honor.

— Associated Press —

Griffons’ Glaude, Mason earn more All-Region honors

Posted on May 24, 2016

ST. JOSEPH – Add two more honors to the mantle for Missouri Western baseball’s David Glaude and Landon Mason. Both of the infielders were named to ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division II All-Region Teams.

Glaude was named a first team infielder, his third All-Region honor and second first team selection. Playing primarily second base, the junior tied for the team lead with Mason, batting .403 on the season. Glaude was twice named MIAA Hitter of the Week and led the team in hits (91), doubles (22), triples (6) and RBIs (74). His 10 home runs were second on the team as were his 62 runs scored. In the field, the Quebec City native committed just seven errors with 147 assists and 116 putouts for a .974 fielding percentage.

Mason battled through the season to hit .403 and earn his third second team All-Region honor. The junior shortstop hit safely in 37 of the 47 games he played in, including a 21-game hitting streak that saw his batting average climb from .412 to .448. A Blue Springs native, Mason was charged with nine errors in 47 games, picking up 95 assists and 58 putouts for a .944 fielding percentage.

Both were named first team All-MIAA and were selected to both D2CCA and NCBWA All-Central Region teams. The pair helped Missouri Western to the second most wins in program history (38) and its third ever appearance in the NCAA Central Regional. Glaude and Mason were instrumental in the team setting program records for hits (673), runs (481), home runs (67) and RBIs (447) in a season.

— MWSU Athletics —

Mizzou’s season ends with loss to Vandy in SEC Tournament opener

Posted on May 24, 2016

HOOVER, Ala. – Mizzou Baseball’s season came to an end with a 7-0 loss to sixth-seeded Vanderbilt in the opening round of the SEC Tournament on Tuesday morning (May 24) at Hoover Met Stadium. Mizzou sophomore righty Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) was tremendous through 6.0 innings of work, but took the loss after allowing a pair of earned runs (four total) with six strikeouts and just one walk while scattering just five hits. In two starts against Vanderbilt this year, Houck has gone 15.0 innings and allowed just two earned runs and three walks with 20 strikeouts. He took the loss as he closes the year 5-6 with a 2.99 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 105.1 innings pitched. He did that while making his second consecutive start on just four day’s rest.

Vanderbilt’s Patrick Raby earned the win, improving to 7-1 on the year, after tossing 6.0 shutout innings, allowing just two Mizzou hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Mizzou closes the year 26-30 while Vanderbilt improves to 42-15 and will play No. 3 seed Texas A&M in the second round tomorrow.

Raby made easy work of the Tigers in the first inning, using just 13 pitches to retire the side. Houck looked up to the task early as well, retiring Vanderbilt on nine pitches in the first, picking up a strikeout of Vanderbilt CF Bryan Reynolds to end the frame.

After striking out the side in the third on some filthy stuff, Houck surrendered a leadoff double to Reynolds in the fourth. But he picked up a pair of strikeouts and a pop out to escape the jam as Houck struck out six through four innings of work.

Mizzou didn’t threaten against Raby until the top of the sixth inning as a walk by Kirby McGuire (Round Rock, Texas) and a two-out single by Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) put two men on for Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, Mo.), but he popped up to strand a pair.

After Mizzou stranded a pair in the sixth, Vanderbilt opened its half of the sixth with a leadoff walk by 1B Ethan Paul and then executed a hit-and-run perfectly after a hit from Jeren Kendall to put runners on the corners with no outs. Kendall then stole second and Reynolds hit his second double of the day to give Vanderbilt a 2-0 lead. Vandy then scored two more runs on a pair of errors to extend the lead to 4-0 after six innings of action.

Senior LHP Austin Tribby (Springfield, Mo.) relieved Houck and tossed an easy 1-2-3 inning in the seventh. Pinch hitter Julian Infante then hit a two-run homer off of Tribby in the eighth to extend the lead to 6-0. Vandy tacked on another on a two-out RBI single by Kyle Smith to take a 7-0 lead. Howard tallied his second hit of the day to lead off the ninth, but Mizzou went quietly after that.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Northwest’s Prange to be inducted into the DII Athlete Hall of Fame

Posted on May 24, 2016

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Northwest Missouri State University alum Clint Prange will be inducted into the Division II Athlete Hall of Fame Wednesday evening ahead of the NCAA Division II Championships in Bradenton, Fla. Prange, who was a four time MIAA Champion and a six-time All-American, will join Carmelita Jeter (Cal State-Dominguez Hills), Bershawn “Batman” Jackson (Saint Augustine’s), Jim Kemp (Kentucky State) and Kasia Airent (Lewis) in this year’s class.

A 2013 Northwest M-Club Hall of Fame inductee, Prange left his mark as one of the greatest track and field athletes in the history of Bearcat athletics. He won three-straight NCAA titles in the discus and captured the 2005 outdoor shot put title with a then-record setting throw of 66-1. He is one of two individuals all-time to ever surpass 66 feet in the event (Garrett Appier, PSU). He was inducted into the MIAA Hall of Fame in 2015.

In the classroom, Prange was a four-time Academic All-American, graduated Magna Cum Laude, an earned an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. Following his senior season, Prange was honored by the MIAA as the receipent of the Ken B. Jones Award, which recognizes an athlete’s accomplishments on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri’s Shephard to transfer from women’s basketball program

Posted on May 24, 2016

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball guard Carrie Shephard (Steele, Mo.) has opted to transfer from the program, head coach Robin Pingeton announced Tuesday. Shephard played in 28 games over the past two seasons, scoring 26 points and dishing out 18 assists. She shot 46 percent (11-for-24) from the field during her Mizzou career.

“I have nothing but the utmost respect for Carrie,” Pingeton said. “Over the last two years, she has had a very positive impact on our team and will always be considered part of our family. She is an incredible young lady, a talented basketball player and a hard-working and successful student. We wish her nothing but the best and thank her for her contributions to the Mizzou Women’s Basketball program.”

“I want to say thank you to Coach Pingeton for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the Mizzou family and to experience things I never thought I would experience,” Shephard said. “I also want to thank the whole staff and team for welcoming me in with open arms and making my time there a time I will always remember. Thank you to the fans and people who played a role in my time at Mizzou, especially the academic staff with the Total Person Program. They always put me in position to succeed. It was a great two years and I’m thankful for all of it.”

— Mizzou Athletics —

Kansas will travel to Kentucky in SEC/Big 12 Challenge

Posted on May 24, 2016

LAWRENCE, Kan. – For the fourth-consecutive season, and sixth time in the last seven campaigns, the top-two winningest programs in men’s college basketball will face each other as Kansas will play at Kentucky on Jan. 28, 2017, in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge the two conferences announced Tuesday.

Rupp Arena in Lexington will serve as the venue for blueblood matchup as Kansas has 2,186 all-time victories which is second in NCAA Division I to Kentucky’s 2,205.

The upcoming SEC/Big 12 Challenge will mark the eighth meeting between the two schools in the Kansas head coach Bill Self era at KU. The Jayhawks hold a 4-3 in that span and Kentucky leads the overall series with Kansas, 22-7. Last season, with ESPN College Gameday originating from Lawrence, No. 4 Kansas defeated No. 20 Kentucky, 90-84 in overtime, at Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 30 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

This is the fourth year of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge and the Big 12 is 20-10 (.667) in the series, having won the challenge in each of its first three seasons. The Big 12 has posted a 48-30 (.615) record in the last two conference challenge series it has played (vs. Pac-10, SEC) dating back to 2007.

The Challenge has six teams ranked in the super-early ESPN.com top 25, including four Big 12 teams – No. 3 Kentucky, No. 4 KANSAS, No. 15 West Virginia, No. 18 Oklahoma, No. 19 Texas A&M and No. 22 Iowa State. Two games will pit ranked squads against each other – Kansas at Kentucky and Texas A&M at West Virginia.

2017 SEC/Big 12 Challenge – Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017 (TV & times TBA)
Baylor at Mississippi
Iowa State at Vanderbilt
KANSAS at Kentucky
Kansas State at Tennessee
Florida at Oklahoma
Arkansas at Oklahoma State
Auburn at TCU
Texas at Georgia
LSU at Texas Tech
Texas A&M at West Virginia

— KU Athletics —

Nebraska faces Clemson in 2016 Big Ten/ACC Challenge

Posted on May 24, 2016May 24, 2016

Lincoln – A big piece of Nebraska’s 2016-17 basketball schedule fell into place Tuesday afternoon, as the Big Ten and ESPN announced that Nebraska will travel to Clemson for the 2016 Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

The first-ever meeting between the Huskers and Tigers will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at Littlejohn Coliseum. Start time and television information will be announced at a later date.

Clemson finished 17-14 overall and tied for seventh in the ACC with a 10-8 record for Coach Brad Brownell. The Tigers tied a school record with 10 ACC wins and had three consecutive wins over ranked teams (Louisville, Duke and Miami). The Tigers could have three starters returning in 2016-17, including first-team All-ACC forward Jaron Blossomgale (18.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg), as he has not made a decision after declaring for the NBA Draft. Blossomgale is potentially one of three returning double-figure scorers for the Tigers, as Donte Grantham (10.2 ppg; 4.1 apg) and Avry Holmes (10.0 ppg; 2.8 rpg) are also back for the Tigers.

Clemson is 9-7 all time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge following a loss at Minnesota last season, and is 4-4 in home Big Ten/ACC Challenge tilts.

Under fifth-year head coach Tim Miles, the Huskers could return as many as three starters from a team that went 16-18 in 2015-16. Six of the Huskers top-eight scorers could return, depending on the status of Andrew White III, who declared for the NBA Draft without signing with an agent. White, an honorable-mention All-Big Ten pick, averaged 16.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in his first season at Nebraska and would be the second-highest scorer returning in the Big Ten in 2016-17. NU also returns guards Tai Webster (10.0 ppg; 4.1 rpg; 1.4 spg) and Glynn Watson Jr. (8.6 apg; 2.4 apg) and sophomore forward Michael Jacobson (4.7 ppg; 4.3 rpg).

NU also welcomes Louisville transfer Anton Gill, and a three-member freshman class (Jeriah Horne, Isaiah Roby, Jordy Tshimanga) which were all ranked in the top-150 seniors nationally by Rivals.com

The Huskers have played well in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge under Miles, going 3-1 in four previous appearances, including road wins at Wake Forest (2012) and at Florida State (2014). The Huskers are one of three current Big Ten programs with winning records in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will combine to televise all 14 games of the three-day event matching top college basketball programs playing for conference supremacy and the Commissioner’s Cup. All 14 games will also be available via WatchESPN.

The Big Ten held on to the Commissioner’s Cup for the seventh straight year following an 8-6 victory in 2015. The ACC leads the all-time series, 10-5-2, but the Big Ten is 5-0-2 over the last seven years.

Today’s announcement gives the Huskers five games away from Pinnacle Bank Arena in non-conference play, including a trip to Kansas on Dec. 10 as the start of a home-and-home series with the Jayhawks. In addition, the Huskers will also compete in the 2016 Wooden Legacy, an eight-team tournament which includes Texas A&M, UCLA, Dayton, New Mexico, Virginia Tech, Portland and Cal State Northridge.

— NU Athletics —

Perez has five hits as Royals roll at Minnesota in series opener

Posted on May 24, 2016

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Salvador Perez and the Kansas City Royals have been off to a slow start in defense of their World Series championship.

Now that Perez has found his swing, the Royals appear primed to go on a run.

Perez had a career-high five hits, including a double, a triple and an RBI, to lead the Royals to a 10-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night.

“I think everyone is trying to do the best they can do. It’s a long season,” said Perez, who has hit safely in nine straight games. “Sometimes it will be tough and sometimes it’s a night like tonight.”

Paulo Orlando added three hits and two RBI in the rain-delayed game for the Royals, who put All-Star outfielder Alex Gordon on the disabled list on Monday with a fractured right wrist.

Ricky Nolasco (1-3) gave up six runs on eight hits and struck out three in 2 2/3 innings for the Twins (11-33), who have the worst record in the majors.

“I put the team in a big hole early and that’s never good, especially with the situation we’re in right now,” Nolasco said.

Peter Moylan (1-0) picked up the win in relief of Ian Kennedy, whose outing was cut short thanks to the 41-minute rain delay in the third inning.

The Royals pounded out 17 hits and Omar Infante drove in three runs. Perez was the first Royal with five hits in a game since Billy Butler in 2013.

“We needed that,” manager Ned Yost said. “Especially with this rain delay.”

Joe Mauer had three hits, including a solo home run in the first inning for the Twins.

Manager Paul Molitor gave slumping veteran Brian Dozier the night off, the latest in a series of moves aimed at igniting the Twins’ stagnant offense. They put two on the board in the first inning, but Nolasco gave it right back.

The Royals tied the game in the second and put four on the board in the third, with a two-run single from Jarrod Dyson putting them up 6-2.

Nolasco failed to pitch three full innings for the fourth time in his 44 starts for the Twins.

KENNEDY’S START

Kennedy gave up two runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings. He did come out to pitch again after the delay, which Yost knew was potentially tricky. Had the delay been any longer, the Royals would have gone straight to their bullpen after resuming play.

“Went back out there, I felt good, then we had another long inning and I was like, `Hey, if this inning goes any longer you’re going to have to warm someone else up,” Kennedy said.

FAST MOVERS

The rain started pouring down on Target Field — and at the Beyonce concert at TCF Bank Stadium a few miles away — at 8:20 p.m., sending fans scurrying for shelter and prompting the umpires to call the players off the field.

The Twins grounds crew sprang into action, unrolling the massive tarp over the infield in moments. The time on the clock when it was fully in place: 8:21.

CAIN’S TOUGHNESS

Lorenzo Cain had two hits and stayed in the game after fouling a pitch off of his left kneecap in the fourth inning. He was hobbling in the field and on the bases, but hung in there on a day when the Royals were banged up.

“He wanted no part of coming out of that game,” Yost said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Gordon has a non-displaced fracture of the scaphoid bone in his right wrist and will not require surgery, manager Ned Yost said. He is expected to miss the next three to four weeks. … 3B Mike Moustakas was held out with a bruised knee and is listed day to day.

Twins: RHP Kyle Gibson threw 56 pitches in his rehab start for Class A Fort Myers on Sunday and will throw another 80 on Friday.

UP NEXT

RHP Ervin Santana (1-2, 3.13) takes the mound for the Twins against RHP Edinson Volquez (4-4, 3.79) for the Royals. Santana is coming off of his best outing of the season, going eight innings against the Blue Jays. Volquez has given up four runs in three of his last five starts for a 6.00 ERA.

— Associated Press —

Grichuk’s homer in 9th lifts Cardinals to 4-3 win over Cubs

Posted on May 24, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Randal Grichuk told reporters Monday afternoon that his sore back was OK. A few hours later, Grichuk proved it with his first career walk-off home run.

Grichuk’s solo homer in the bottom of the ninth lifted the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs.

“I was trying to battle and get a pitch in the zone and put good wood on it and get on,” Grichuk said. “Luckily, I was able to get a homer.”

Matt Adams tied the score with a two-run homer in the seventh for St. Louis’ major league-leading ninth pinch-hit homer of the season. It also ended a streak of 13 innings of one-run pitching by Chicago starter John Lackey against his former team.

“This is a team that can do damage in a hurry,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “That’s something we haven’t had in the past as much, the ability for quite a few guys in that lineup that feel good about getting the ball over the fence and create instant offense.”

Grichuk drove a 2-2 pitch off of Adam Warren (3-1) for the win.

Adams drove a high change-up to straight-away center to revive what was a stagnant offense against Lackey. It was Adams’ second pinch-hit homer this season and he’s hitting .500 off the bench.

“It’s no secret,” Adams said. “I just make sure I’m ready to go when my name’s called.”

Trevor Rosenthal (2-1) pitched a scoreless ninth.

The Cubs’ Ben Zobrist had three singles and a walk, extending his streak to 29 starts with reaching safely. He is hitting .387 during that span.

St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright pitched in and out of trouble throughout his six innings, scattering seven hits and stranding eight runners, while throwing 68 of his 108 pitches for strikes.

“I had great stuff tonight,” Wainwright said. “I loved my stuff. I just have to attack a little better than I did in a couple of those innings. But that stuff translates. That’s going to play well the rest of the season.”

Lackey gave up three runs in seven economical innings. He struck out nine while throwing just 87 pitches.

“He was really, really, sharp,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “They hit a lot of pop ups, a lot of soft contact.”

Miguel Montero’s second single of the game tied it at 1-1 in the fourth, breaking a 26-inning scoreless streak Wainwright had against the Cubs dating back to May 13, 2014.

Javier Baez followed with a bunt, but was awarded an infield single after Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong failed to backup first on the play, setting up a fielder’s choice from Addison Russell that made it 2-1 Cubs.

Anthony Rizzo drove in his 35th run of the year with a broken-bat single in the fifth.

“Sometimes in my position when they’ve pushed couple across, they get ducks on the pond, you have to limit those innings and keep your team in the game and we kept it close enough so (Adams) could make a big swing and (Grichuk) could make a big swing,” Wainwright said.

Aledmys Diaz gave the Cardinals’ an early lead with a sacrifice fly in the third.

FLYIN’ HAWAIIAN RELEASED

The Cubs released OF Shane Victorino from his minor league contract. Victorino won World Series titles with Philadelphia and Boston and played earlier this month for Triple-A Iowa.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: OF Jason Heyward (contusion) took swings in the batting cage and did other exercises. He was out of the lineup for s second straight game and is day-to-day.

“If it was up to me I’d be playing right now, but obviously you have to go through stuff and test it out,” Heyward said. “We’ll see what they say and we’ll see how it feels after a couple of days.”

Cardinals: SS Jhonny Peralta (thumb) went back to Single A-Peoria after being examined by the team Sunday. Peralta, who Matheny said was progressing, was placed on a 20-day rehabilitation assignment on May 20.

UP NEXT

Cubs: RHP Jason Hammel (5-1, 2.31 ERA) will make his second start of the season against St. Louis. He earned the win, allowing one run in six innings on April 19 and is 3-3 with a 5.26 ERA in eight career starts against the Cardinals.

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (2-4, 4.03 ERA) is trying to break a career-long four-game losing streak. He is 3-3 with a 4.86 ERA in 10 career appearances against Chicago.

— Associated Press —