St. Louis Cardinals defeat Chicago Cubs 9-2 – MLB Update
St. Louis Cardinals put in a comprehensive team effort as they overcame the Chicago Cubs 9-2 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri on Friday, July 29.
Cardinals managed three three-run innings to inflict a mammoth seven run lead on the Cubs who could manage just two runs in two innings. Edwin Jackson was on target for the Cardinals from the mound and registered his first win of the season owing to a splendid
display of pitching. Matt Garza was unfortunate yet again for the Cubs as he lost his eighth game for the season to take his win-loss tally to 4-8.
Marlon Byrd opened the scoring for the Cubs in the second inning to give his team an early one-run advantage but the Cardinals came back strong in the fourth inning and did not allow the Cubs a chance to resurge in the game thereon.
David Freese unleashed a 401 feet three-run homer at the bottom of the fourth inning which allowed Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday to complete their runs and give the Cardinals a two-run advantage over the Cubs.
The sixth inning also yielded three runs for St. Louis who gained a strong five-run advantage at the end of the inning. Holliday scored his second run before Skip Schumaker and Yadier Molina added one each to complete the three.
Cubs registered their second and final score at the top of the eighth inning courtesy Darwin Barney’s effort but it was not good enough to have an impact on the outcome of the game. With a deficit of four-runs still looming the Cubs succumbed to the Cardinals
when the latter added another three runs at the bottom of the eighth inning to seal the game.
However, there was more to the game than just a comprehensive win. Cardinals’ first baseman and star hitter Albert Pujols completed his 2000th career hit when he doubled to the left. Needing just two hits to reach the milestone before the game,
Pujols held on to his nerves on his last at-bat of the game to complete his 2000 hits.
Pujols has been outstanding this season with 102 hits already in 93 games thus far. He has scored 65 runs this season and is well in line to complete a 100 runs this season. The game brought more joy for Pujols when he reached 1250 career runs. At 31, Pujols
still has many years of professional baseball left in him and can easily make it to the elite club of 3000 career hits.
This was the fourth consecutive defeat for the Cubs who are now 15.5 games behind NL Central leaders Milwaukee Brewers. They have the second-worst league winning percentage and it will be interesting to see how they compete during the rest of the season.
Tags: