ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dexter Fowler has hit in six different lineup slots in the last six games for the St. Louis Cardinals. In the series finale against the New York Mets, he was at the right spot at the right time.

Fowler’s 13th-inning single capped a comeback from a pair of deficits Thursday and gave the Cardinals a 4-3 victory .

“I’m a swing man, I’m hitting everywhere,” Fowler quipped. “First, second, I’m trying to get all nine. Some people play all nine positions, I just hit everywhere.”

The lineup juggling has been an attempt by Cardinals manager Mike Matheny spark Fowler and several other hitters after a slow start. Fowler has three RBI in his last two games.

“My swing’s there,” Fowler said. “I’ve just been hitting stuff off the end of the bat, not hitting it the way I want to. I’m barreling it, just towards the end.”

St. Louis trailed 2-0 in the seventh and 3-2 in the 10th. Tommy Pham had four hits and scored twice, a day after leaving a game after cutting his head with his bat while warning up in an indoor batting game. He played with a large bandage on his head.

“It could have been worse,” Pham said. “I’m just extremely lucky.”

Jose Martinez walked with one out in the 13th against Paul Sewald (0-1), took second on a single by Marcell Ozuna and scored when Fowler singled to right for his sixth game-ending RBI.

John Gant (1-0), recalled from Triple-A Memphis before the game, pitched three perfect innings of relief for his second big league win. His first was for Atlanta against the Mets on June 17, 2016.

“He was finishing that game,” Matheny said. “He did a good job of finishing that game.”

St. Louis won its second straight against the Mets after losing the series opener in 10 innings. The Mets have lost eight of 12 after an 11-1 start.

“It would be frustrating if we weren’t where we are at in the standings,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “Were still in a pretty good spot, so what has happened the last week or week-and-a-half is not going to continue to happen. That’s just not going to happen, `cause we have really good pitchers and really good players.”

New York went ahead 3-2 in the 10th when Luke Gregerson loaded the bases with a walk to Adrian Gonzalez and forced in a run with a walk to Jose Lobaton.

Pham singled with two outs in the bottom half and scored when Martinez doubled off the center-field wall against Jeurys Familia, who blew a save for the third time in 12 chances.

“That guy’s nasty,” Martinez said.

Mets starter Noah Syndergaard allowed two runs — one earned — and six hits in 7 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. He retired his first 10 batters and did not allow a runner into scoring position until the seventh inning.

“I think the big thing for me today was for me to going out there and throwing in and tight to hitters,” Syndergaard said. “I haven’t really had my slider all season, but it was nice going out there and mix and match my sinker and change up and curveball when I needed it.”

Pham said Syndergaard has gotten better.

“I faced him in Triple-A and I faced him a couple of years ago — he was more so just a thrower with great stuff,” Pham said. “Now he’s elevated his arsenal.”

Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez gave up one run and four hits in six innings.

Yoenis Cespedes hit an RBI double in the first that ended Martinez’s scoreless streak at 18 innings and made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. His 23 RBI are one behind NL leader Javier Baez of the Chicago Cubs.

Pham doubled leading off the seventh and scored on Marcell Ozuna’s single. Greg Garcia led off the eighth with a grounder that bounced off the glove of shortstop Amed Rosario, who didn’t get hit glove down and was charged with an error. Garcia advanced to third on Matt Carpenter’s single against Syndergaard and scored on Pham’s single off Robert Gsellman.

BEANBALLS

Martinez hit Brandon Nimmo twice and Todd Frazier once. Martinez has hit a batter in a team-record seven consecutive games dating to Sept. 26, matching Pedro Martinez and Dave Bush for the fourth-longest streak in major league history.

UP AND DOWN

RHP John Brebbia was optioned to Triple-A Memphis to make room for Gant.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: Assistant hitting Coach Tom Slater served as first base coach for Ruben Amaro Jr., who was ill

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (2-0, 2.53 ERA) start Friday at San Diego in the opener off a three-game series. DeGrom has reached double digits in strikeouts in his last two starts.

Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (3-0, 3.46 ERA) starts Friday at Pittsburgh. Mikolas has walked two in 26 innings this season.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Marcell Ozuna hit a tiebreaking two-run single and Michael Wacha won his fourth straight start as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets 9-1 on Wednesday night.

Jedd Gyorko added a two-run homer for St. Louis, which has won nine of 11.

Ozuna had just one hit in his previous 24 at-bats prior to a bases-loaded single to cap a three-run third inning that put the Cardinals in front to stay 3-1. Acquired from the Marlins on Dec. 14 for four prospects, the outfielder had struck out 23 times in his previous 20 games. He finished 1 for 4.

Wacha (4-1) gave up one run on five hits over six innings. He struck out eight and walked one. He is 4-0 with 2.78 ERA over his last four starts. His only loss this season came in a 6-2 setback to the Mets on March 31.

Kolten Wong and Paul DeJong had two hits each for the Cardinals, and Dexter Fowler drove in two runs.

Steven Matz (1-2) gave up seven runs, just three earned, over 3 1/3 innings. He surrendered five hits and fell to 0-3 with an 8.49 ERA in three career starts against the Cardinals.

The Mets have dropped six of 10 after an 11-1 start to the season.

St. Louis added four runs in the fourth on two hits and two errors. Wacha brought in Paul DeJong with a squeeze bunt. Dexter Fowler drew a bases-loaded walk for a 5-1 cushion.

Gyorko’s 100th career homer, in the fifth off Corey Oswalt, pushed the lead to 9-1.

Jay Bruce had given the Mets a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the top of the third.

St. Louis outfielder Tommy Pham was removed in the third inning after suffering a head laceration before the game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: LHP Jason Vargas will make his season debut on Saturday at San Diego. Vargas had been on the disabled list with a broken bone in his non-throwing hand suffered on March 17 when he tried to catch a line drive in a minor league game. He allowed three runs in four innings of a rehab appearance for Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday.

Cardinals: INF Matt Carpenter was given the night off. He is in an 0-for-6 skid. Carpenter is hitting .167 with two home runs, 10 RBI in 21 games. … RHP Sam Tuivailala begins a 30-day injury rehabilitation stint at Triple-A Memphis on Thursday. He has been out with a left knee strain suffered on April 9.

UP NEXT

Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard (2-0, 3.29) will face St. Louis RHP Carlos Martinez (2-1, 1.42) in the final game of the three-game series Thursday. The Mets are 5-0 in Syndergaard’s starts. Martinez has not allowed a run his last 18 innings.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jay Bruce hit a tiebreaking homer in the 10th inning, Yoenis Cespedes launched a majestic, three-run shot and the New York Mets rallied to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 on Tuesday night.

Bruce began the game batting .194 but broke out of his slump with three hits, including an RBI triple.

After his decisive drive to center field off Matt Bowman (0-1), the Cardinals claimed he missed first base and challenged. A 56-second replay review confirmed Bruce touched the bag, and the NL East-leading Mets (15-6) closed it out for their 10th comeback victory of the season.

“It feels good to help the ballclub a little bit,” Bruce said.

Cespedes’ homer off starter Luke Weaver tied it 4-all in the fifth. The drive traveled an estimated 463 feet to left field, the third-longest by an opposing player in the history of Busch Stadium III.

Bruce’s eighth-inning single sent Todd Frazier from first to third before Adrian Gonzalez tied it at 5 with a sacrifice fly.

Mets starter Zack Wheeler lasted a season-low four innings and gave up four runs. Former ace Matt Harvey gave up a run over two innings in his first relief appearance since being demoted to the bullpen.

Back-to-back doubles by Dexter Fowler and Paul DeJong off Harvey with two outs in the fifth gave St. Louis a 5-4 lead.

Robert Gsellman (3-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win, and Jeurys Familia earned his ninth save.

Bruce’s sinking line drive got by left fielder Marcell Ozuna in the second for an RBI triple. It was Bruce’s first triple in 174 games with the Mets.

Weaver lasted 4 2/3 innings. He gave up four runs and walked a career-high six as St. Louis had its three-game winning streak snapped.

Tommy Pham drove Wheeler’s 95 mph fastball 420 feet to center for a home run that gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Kolten Wong doubled in a run and scored on Weaver’s single in the fourth to make it 4-1. Weaver’s single was the first time the Mets allowed an opposing pitcher to reach safely in 42 plate appearances this season.

WEB GEM

Wong made a diving play at second on Gonzalez’s grounder and threw him out from his knees for the first out in the second. Wong was playing in with Bruce at third. The play saved a run and Weaver was able to strand Bruce at third.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: LHP Jason Vargas (broken right hand) started Monday for Triple-A Las Vegas and allowed three runs over four innings. He is scheduled to make his season debut Saturday in San Diego.

Cardinals: RHP Sam Tuivailala and LHP Ryan Sherriff have reported to Triple-A Memphis for rehab assignments. Tuivailala is scheduled to throw Wednesday and Sherriff will throw later this week.

UP NEXT

Mets LHP Steven Matz (1-1, 4.42 ERA) seeks his first win against St. Louis in the middle game of the series Wednesday night. Matz is 0-2 with an 8.64 ERA in two career starts against the Cardinals. They counter with RHP Michael Wacha (3-1, 4.22), who has won his last three starts.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — For Miles Mikolas, throwing strikes translates to success — no matter where he’s pitching.

Mikolas, who spent the last three seasons in the Japanese Central League, tossed seven strong innings and the St. Louis Cardinals completed their second sweep this season of the woeful Cincinnati Reds with a 9-2 victory on Sunday.

“I had great command over there,” Mikolas said of his stint with the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants. “Pitching is pitching. You throw strikes and good things will happen.”

The Cardinals have won eight of nine overall and 11 in a row over the Reds.

Cincinnati, which has lost five in a row and 13 of 14, has the worst record in the majors at 3-18. The Reds are 0-3 — all against the Cardinals — since firing manager Bryan Price and replacing him with Jim Riggleman.

St. Louis took four games last week in Cincinnati. The Cardinals’ 11-game winning streak over the Reds is their longest since winning 11 straight in 1949.

Mikolas (3-0) gave up two runs, one earned, on five hits. He struck out six and did not walk a batter in what he called his best outing since returning to the majors.

“His stuff just continues to get better in our eyes,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “He’s had that history of being able to be in the strike zone and that makes him efficient.”

Catcher Yadier Molina, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI, said Mikolas made his job easy.

“Everything was working,” Molina said. “I feel confident with him. I can call any pitch and he can throw it for strikes.”

Wong hit a solo homer in the second inning. DeJong added a three-run shot in the seventh. DeJong is tied for second in the NL with seven home runs.

Wong’s homer came off Luis Castillo (1-3), who allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked four.

“At the beginning of the first inning, I knew my command was not good enough,” Castillo said. “When that happens, you’ve got to go out there and compete. And that’s what I did for the rest of the game.”

The Cardinals added two runs in the third on a run-scoring infield single by Dexter Fowler, who reached base five times, and Tyler O’Neill’s sacrifice fly. It was O’Neill’s first major league RBI.

DeJong pushed the lead to 6-2 with his homer in the seventh off Kevin Quackenbush. He also hit a two-run homer in Saturday’s win.

“This series, I felt a lot more relaxed out there,” DeJong said. “The last couple of weeks, I faced some pretty good pitches.”

The Reds scored twice in the sixth. Joey Votto’s RBI infield single trimmed the deficit to 3-2.

“I can promise you this, hitters, whether the results show or not, are giving you 100 percent when they step into the batter’s box,” Riggleman said. “Their focus is going to be there. It’s just not happening right now.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP David Hernandez will likely make his second rehab appearance on Monday for Triple-A Louisville. Hernandez has been bothered by right shoulder inflammation.

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Sunday with right elbow inflammation. RHP John Brebbia was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. Brebbia made two appearances earlier in the season and did not allow a run in two innings. … OF Tommy Pham missed his third game in four days with a right groin strain. He is day-to-day.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Sal Romero (0-2, 5.75 ERA) will face RHP Mike Foltynewicz (1-1, 2.53) on Monday in the first of a four-game home series against Atlanta. Romero will be making his fifth start of the season.

Cardinals: RHP Luke Weaver (2-1, 4.22) is slated to start the first of three-game series against the Mets on Tuesday. RHP Zack Wheeler (1-1, 2.77) will start for the Mets.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Hicks didn’t get jammed up.

The rookie St. Louis reliever got Scooter Gennett to ground into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded, and the Cardinals held off the Cincinnati Reds 4-3 Saturday.

“I just tried to stay calm and just throw every pitch to the best of my ability and just try to give my team the best chance to win,” Hicks said. “I just go out there with full confidence and do what you know how to do, what you’ve been doing your whole life.”

Star catcher Yadier Molina hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning as the Cardinals won for the seventh time in their past eight games, including six against the Reds. The Reds dropped their fourth straight, and second under interim manager Jim Riggleman, and fell to 3-17 this season.

St. Louis has won 10 in a row from the Reds dating to last season, matching its longest streak against them since 1949, when the Cardinals won 11 straight.

Hicks (1-0) recorded the final seven outs for his first career victory.

“Amazing,” Molina said of the hard-throwing Hicks. “This kid has the talent to pitch late in the game. Obviously when you throw 102 (miles per hour), you don’t have to be afraid of anything. He’s a great kid and great job for him tonight.”

Jared Hughes (0-2) gave up Molina’s sixth homer, a solo drive. The one-out shot gave Molina his 800th career RBI.

“I totally missed my spot right there,” Hughes said. “I left it up and in the middle. It was not the pitch I wanted. He doesn’t miss mistakes. He did a good job of hitting the heck out of it.”

Cincinnati scored three times in the seventh to tie it. The Reds strung together four singles and a walk in the seventh, with Gennett’s two-run hit making it 3-all. Hicks used one pitch to get Cliff Pennington to fly out, ending the inning with runners at the corners.

Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez pitched six scoreless innings, giving up three hits and striking out seven. He was pulled after 91 pitches and exited with an 18-inning scoreless streak, leaving with a 1.42 ERA.

Home runs by Paul DeJong and Dexter Fowler helped the Cardinals build a 3-0 lead through six.

Cincinnati starter Homer Bailey lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits, striking four and walking two.

“I honestly wasn’t very sharp today,” Bailey said. “I did some things that I wasn’t very happy with today. We tried to hold them the best we could. Defensively we did a good job and the offense started coming through there at the end. It was just kind of one of those days where you had to fight back and forth.

“That’s something that shouldn’t be necessarily commented on. It should just be a regular thing that you do every day. Maybe it’s a step in the right direction. But, the overall picture is we still need to do more,” he said.

DeJong hit his sixth home run in the second. Fowler’s third homer opened the sixth for the Cardinals.

BRINGING THE LEATHER

Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong sprinted into right field and had to make a full extension of his glove arm to pull in a flare from Reds OF Adam Duvall in the sixth. Wong then tossed the ball to 1B Jose Martinez to double off Gennett, who had already rounded second base.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP David Hernandez began his rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Louisville on Friday. He pitched 1/3 of an inning, giving up three hits, four earned runs and striking out one while throwing 19 pitches. He is recovering from right shoulder inflammation.

Cardinals: OF Tommy Pham was held out of the starting lineup because of flu-like symptoms and also to provide another day off to rest a sore groin. Manager Mike Matheny said Pham was available off the bench, but he did not get into the game.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Luis Castillo (1-2, 6.75) starts the final game of a three-game set in St. Louis against Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas (2-0, 4.26). Castillo earned the victory in his first appearance this season, but lasted just five innings in his last two starts in which he took the loss both times. Mikolas will go for his first victory at Busch Stadium since joining the Cardinals in the offseason. He got a no-decision in his only home start this year, a 5-4 loss to Milwaukee.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Michael Wacha kept up his strong pitching against Cincinnati, Yadier Molina hit two-run double in the first inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals won 4-2 Friday night to spoil Jim Riggleman’s debut as Reds interim manager.

Riggleman replaced Bryan Price, who was fired Thursday after Cincinnati lost 15 of its first 18 games.

Wacha (3-1) gave up one run and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, his longest outing of the year, to improve to 10-1 in his career against the Reds.

Jose Martinez had three hits and an RBI, raising his batting average to .358 this season. He has eight RBI over his last seven games. Tommy Pham scored twice.

Bud Norris picked up his fifth save in five chances despite allowing a two-out RBI single to Alex Blandino, helping the Cardinals won for the sixth time in seven games.

Brandon Finnegan (0-2) lost for the second time in two starts against the Cardinals this year. Finnegan came off the disabled list (left biceps strain) April 14th. He allowed five hits and four runs while walking four over three innings.

The Reds have lost 11 of their last 12.

Pham, who scored on Molina’s bases-loaded double in the first, walked in the second and scored on Martinez’s double to make it 4-0.

Tommy Pham scored for the second time in two innings. Following a walk, he scored on a two-out double by Jose Martinez to pad the Cardinals early lead to 4-0.

The Reds’ only damage against Wacha came in the third as Billy Hamilton scored on Jose Peraza’s sacrifice fly. It was Cincinnati’s first run since the eighth inning against Milwaukee on Monday, ending a 21-inning scoreless streak. Last season the Reds season-high scoreless streak was 20 innings.

FOURTH TIME’S A CHARM

The Reds appointment of Riggleman as interim manager marks the fourth time in his career that he has held this position. He previously was named interim manager in San Diego, Seattle and Washington. He was promoted to manager everywhere but Seattle. Riggleman also managed the Chicago Cubs (1995-1998) and managed in the Cardinals’ minor league system (1982-’88).

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: OF Scott Schebler was activated from the 10-day disabled list and LHP Cody Reed (0-0, four appearances) was optioned to Triple-A Louisville. Schebler was on the DL with a right ulnar nerve contusion.

Cardinals: RHP Sam Tuivailala threw a bullpen session Friday and St. Louis president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Tuivailala will begin an official rehabilitation assignment the middle of next week. Tuivailala was placed on the DL with a left knee strain.

UP NEXT:

Reds RHP Homer Bailey (0-3, 3.42) will face Cardinals RHP Carlos Martinez (2-1, 1.75) in the second of a three-game series on Saturday. Martinez is 7-3 in his career against Cincinnati and the Cardinals have won seven of his last nine starts against the Reds, including last Sunday’s 3-2 win in Cincinnati. Bailey is still looking for his first win in five starts. He is 6-14 in his career against St. Louis.

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — The Cubs made Jon Lester’s job easier by staking him to an early lead.

Lester was dominant through six innings of two-hit ball in his 100th start with the Cubs, Jason Heyward hit a two-run homer and Chicago defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 8-5 on Thursday.

Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber each had two RBI as Chicago took a 6-1 lead after two innings. Every Cubs starter had a hit, including three by Anthony Rizzo and two each by Heyward, Schwarber and Javier Baez.

Heyward’s homer and a triple by Javier Baez were the only extra-base hits as Chicago sprayed 12 singles around Wrigley Field.

“This is so much fun to watch,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “Keep your launch angles, keep your exit velocities, give me a good at-bat. Seeing inside the ball, using the whole field. With that you’ll see better situational hitting, better batting average. That’s just good hitting.”

Lester (2-0) didn’t allow a hit until Jedd Gyorko lined a single to left with one out in the fifth. The left-hander gave a first-inning unearned run, struck out seven and walked one.

“Everything was good,” Lester said. “Any time you have six runs in the first two innings, it always helps.”

Brandon Morrow pitched a perfect ninth to complete a five-hitter and remain perfect in three save chances.

Ten of Chicago’s first 16 batters reached against Luke Weaver (2-1), who allowed six runs and nine hits in four innings. He had yielded only four runs over 17 1/3 innings in three previous starts.

“Just balls hit well to the opposite side again,” manager Mike Matheny said. He made his adjustment, but it was six runs later when he started to get locked in in the third. We were lucky to get him through four.”

Weaver gave the Cubs credit.

“They did a good job of not chasing below the zone,” he said. “They just had a good approach today.”

A day after a game was postponed because of rain and a temperature just above freezing, it was 47 when the game began.

Harrison Bader was hit by a pitch in the first, stole second, advanced to third on catcher Willson Contreras’s throwing error and scored on Lester’s wild pitch to Marcell Ozuna.

Baez was moved up to second in the batting order by Maddon, and Baez tripled in a bottom half of the first that included RBI singles by Bryant and Schwarber. The Cubs opened a 6-1 lead in the second when Albert Almora Jr., Rizzo and Schwarber had RBI singles, and Bryant hit a sacrifice fly.

Heyward’s fifth-inning homer against Matt Bowman made it 8-1.

Eddie Butler walked Paul DeJong with the bases-loaded in a four-run seventh, and Steve Cishek forced in a run when he hit pinch-hitter Kolten Wong with a pitch. Dexter Fowler hit into a run-scoring forceout, and another run scored when Baez’s throw from second to first trying for a double play was wide for an error.

PROSPECTING

The Cardinals recalled OF Tyler O’Neill from Triple-A Memphis and optioned RHP John Brebbia to the Pacific Coast League team. The 22-year-old O’Neill made his major league debut when he pinch hit for Weaver in the fifth and struck out swinging. In 12 games with Memphis, the muscular Canadian batted .388 with six homers, 18 RBI and an .837 slugging percentage. By not recalling O’Neill before Wednesday, the Cardinals delayed his eligibility for free agency by a year, until after the 2025 season. He is the son of Terry O’Neill, named Mr. Canada — given to the nation’s best body builder — in 1975.

TRAINER’S ROOM.

Cardinals: OF Tommy Pham was held out of the starting lineup up rest a groin injury, but pinch hit in the seventh and flied out.

Cubs: INF/OF Ben Zobrist was scratched for a second straight game with back tightness.

UP NEXT:

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (2-1, 5.52) is to start at home Friday against Cincinnati LHP Brandon Finnegan (0-1, 10.38). It will be the first game for new Reds manager Jim Riggleman, who replaced Bryan Price on Thursday after the Reds’ 3-15 start.

Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 3.71) is to start the opener of a three-game series on Friday at Colorado, which goes with RHP Jon Gray (1-3, 6.23). Showers changing to snow are forecast.

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — Adam Wainwright outpitched Tyler Chatwood in frigid conditions at Wrigley Field, helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on Tuesday night for their fifth consecutive victory.

The gametime temperature was 35 degrees, and a 10 mph wind made it feel like 29. There were heaters on in each dugout, and the announced crowd of 35,103 bundled up in winter coats, hats and blankets.

Matt Carpenter had two hits and three RBI for St. Louis in the first meeting of the season between the longtime rivals. The Cardinals went 5-14 against the NL Central champion Cubs last year, including just one win in nine games at Wrigley.

Each starting pitcher struggled with control, but Wainwright (1-2) deftly navigated his way through five effective innings. The 6-foot-7 right-hander allowed an unearned run and four hits, struck out five and walked four while improving to 11-2 in 24 career games at Chicago’s iconic neighborhood ballpark.

Chatwood (0-3) issued seven walks in 4 2/3 innings, one off his career high. He struck out seven and yielded two runs and one hit.

Javier Baez hit a two-run homer off Greg Holland in the eighth, but Chicago lost for the third time in four games. The Cubs hadn’t played since Saturday after their series finale against Atlanta and Game 1 against St. Louis were postponed due to lousy weather.

Chatwood’s wildness caught up to him in the third. After Dexter Fowler and Tommy Pham opened the inning with consecutive walks, Carpenter hit an RBI double off the base of the wall in right. Marcell Ozuna then drove in Pham with a grounder to shortstop.

The Cardinals added three more after Pedro Strop retired the first two batters in the eighth. Paul DeJong drove a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left for his fifth homer, snapping a 1-for-16 slide, and Carpenter added a two-run single.

After Holland faltered in the bottom half, leaving with no outs and a runner on first, Tyler Lyons got Jason Heyward to pop out before Bud Norris finished for his fourth save. Willson Contreras singled with two out in the ninth, but Norris struck out Kyle Schwarber looking to end the game.

RIZZO RETURNS

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was hit by Wainwright’s first pitch to him in his return to the lineup after being sidelined by lower back tightness. He went 0 for 3 with a walk.

Infielder/outfielder Efren Navarro was optioned to Triple-A Iowa to make room for Rizzo on the roster.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Jose Martinez started at first after he left Sunday’s 3-2 victory at Cincinnati following a collision with Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart. He went 0 for 4 with a walk.

Cubs: RF Ben Zobrist was scratched with back tightness. Ian Happ replaced Zobrist in the leadoff spot and started in center field. Jason Heyward moved from center to right.

UP NEXT

Cardinals right-hander Luke Weaver and Cubs left-hander Jon Lester are slated to pitch Wednesday afternoon, but there is more inclement weather in the forecast. Weaver (2-0, 2.08 ERA) made his major league debut at Wrigley Field on Aug. 13, 2016. Lester (1-0, 4.40 ERA) went 2-1 with a 2.93 ERA in five starts against St. Louis last year.

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — The series opener between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals has been postponed because of poor weather.

With light snow falling and the temperature around 30 degrees, Monday night’s game was postponed about six hours before the scheduled first pitch. It will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on July 21.

The Cubs are pushing their rotation back a second day with Tyler Chatwood — originally scheduled to pitch Sunday against Atlanta — starting Tuesday and Jon Lester going Wednesday. St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright will have his start moved back a day to Tuesday. But the Cardinals will go with Luke Weaver instead of Michael Wacha on Wednesday.

The postponement was the third on the Cubs’ first homestand of the season — and second in as many days. Sunday’s series finale against Atlanta got pushed back to May 14 because of rain.

There were 21 postponements in the majors through Sunday.

The Cubs were hoping to get Anthony Rizzo (lower back tightness) back from the 10-day disabled list on Monday. But the postponement delayed the three-time All-Star’s return.

The Cardinals activated infielder Jedd Gyorko (strained right hamstring) and reliever Luke Gregerson (strained left hamstring) and optioned right-hander Mike Mayers and infielder Yairo Munoz to Triple-A Memphis.

Gyorko, who hit 20 homers last season, has been sidelined since April 2. Gregerson was injured in spring training.

— Associated Press —

CINCINNATI (AP) — Carlos Martinez’s changeup was too much for the reeling Reds.

The St. Louis right-hander struck out a season-high 11 in seven shutout innings and Harrison Bader’s two-run home run helped the Cardinals complete their first four-game sweep in Cincinnati since 1949 with a 3-2 win on Sunday.

After waiting through a rain delay of 2 hours, 36 minutes, Martinez allowed two hits and four walks while helping send the Reds to their eighth consecutive loss, one short of matching their longest losing streak of last season.

“I just told myself to stay calm and not worry about it,” said Martinez (2-1), who described his changeup as “nasty” and said he could move it to both sides of the plate.

“He was great,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “He had electric stuff. He had great execution when he needed it. He was smooth and had a good plan.”

The Reds scored 10 runs in the series while being swept in four games at home by St. Louis for the first time since July 8-10, 1949.

The Reds haven’t enjoyed a lead in 32 innings, going back to the fourth inning on Thursday. They are 2-13 overall this season for the first time since the 1931 Reds won two of their first 19 games.

Bud Norris allowed Adam Duvall’s ninth-inning leadoff homer and the Reds got a runner to second with nobody out. Norris struck out Alex Blandino and Phillip Ervin and got Billy Hamilton to line out to clinch his third save.

The Cardinals have won five of their past six games.

The Cardinals swept the Reds in a four-game series in St. Louis on Aug. 13-16, 2001.

Bader drove Homer Bailey’s 1-0 pitch into the right field seats for an opposite-field homer with two outs in the second inning. The opposite-field shot was his first in four big league homers. He credited the experience he gained in 32 games with St. Louis last season.

“That was the biggest thing from my little stint last year,” he said. “They really worked the outside half of the plate to me.”

The Cardinals added a run with one out in the seventh on Jose Martinez’s one-out double and Yadier Molina’s RBI single, his second hit of the game.

Hamilton homered off reliever Tyler Lyons in the eighth inning for his 500th hit.

Bailey (0-3) allowed four hits and three runs with four strikeouts and two walks in a season-high seven innings.

“Homer was very, very good,” manager Bryan Price said. “He was really acute with his location. He didn’t give them much, but they did get the hit, they were able to handle and score a few runs, enough to win.”

The Reds have scored a total of five runs in Bailey’s four starts, but he was aware of his team’s struggles overall.

“We’re 2-12,” said Bailey, accidentally subtracting a loss. “That’s not very good at all, regardless of my numbers. My numbers alone don’t count. It’s what we’re doing as a team, man.”

A MAN ON BASE

The Cardinals’ first seven home runs in the series were solo shots before Bader’s two-run shot in the second.

JACKIE’S DAY

Everybody in uniform on both teams wore No. 42 as part of Major League Baseball’s annual Jackie Robinson Day festivities. Sunday was the 71st anniversary of Robinson’s debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

SABO’S DAY

Former Reds 3B Chris Sabo celebrated the 30th anniversary of his Rookie of the Year season by throwing out a ceremonial first pitch.

PERAZA WALK

Cincinnati shortstop Jose Peraza’s third-inning walk was his first in 53 plate appearances this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 1B Marcell Ozuna was scheduled to get Sunday off after playing every inning of St. Louis’ first 15 games.

Reds: OF Scott Schebler made a rehab start for Triple-A Louisville at Lehigh Valley on Sunday. He’s been out since April 9 with a bruised nerve in his right elbow after being hit by a pitch on April 8.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (0-2), who is 10-2 in 23 games at Wrigley Field, was scheduled to start the opener of a three-game series against the Cubs in Chicago on Monday.

Reds: RHP Luis Castillo (0-2), who went 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in two games against the Brewers last season, was Cincinnati’s scheduled starter in the opener of a three-game series in Milwaukee on Monday.

— Associated Press —