NEW YORK: Anthony Rizzo reached base three times and provided the winning run with a solo homer as the Chicago Cubs rocked St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright on the way to a 6-5 victory.
The normally reliable Wainwright (5-2) saw a 25-inning scoreless streak end as the Cubs collected 10 hits and six runs through his five innings, Wainwright’s shortest outing of the season.
Cubs left-hander Travis Wood (2-3) worked seven innings, matching his longest outing of the season, and picked up his first victory since April 21.
Rizzo, 2-for-3 with a walk, clubbed a solo home run off Wainwright in the fifth for a 6-3 lead.
Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta closed the gap in the eighth with a two-run homer to center off right-handed reliever Justin Grimm, scoring third baseman Matt Carpenter and trimming the lead to 6-5.
In other game on the day, right-hander Wily Peralta allowed three hits over eight shutout innings and drove in the decisive runs with a two-run double, lifting the Milwaukee Brewers to a 2-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Peralta (4-1) overcame a rough first inning and walked two and struck out seven in his 110 pitches.
Cincinnati (13-16) could not take advantage of its few opportunities against Peralta, going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
Catcher Jonathan Lucroy went 3-for-4 with a double for Milwaukee, who improved their Major League-leading record to 21-9.
Aside from Peralta’s double, Reds right-hander Mike Leake (2-3) was equally impressive, pitching eight innings and allowing two runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
On the other hand, Adam LaRoche singled in the go-ahead run in a three-run eighth inning as the Washington Nationals rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.Jayson Werth, an ex-Phillie, went 3-for-4 and Tyler Moore homered for Washington (17-12), who have won three straight and five of six.
Marlon Byrd hit a three-run homer in the first inning for the Phillies (13-14), who have dropped two straight.
The Miami Marlins got the better of Josh Beckett to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3 at Marlins Park.
Miami (15-14) snapped the Dodgers’ (17-13) three-game winning streak.
Right-hander Tom Koehler (3-2) picked up the win, pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and two walks.
Beckett, the second overall pick in the 1999 draft who helped the Marlins win the 2003 World Series as the MVP, struck out eight but trailed 2-0 after six innings. The Marlins added four runs in the seventh, with the damage coming against reliever Jose Dominguez, to make it 6-0.
Designated hitter Carlos Santana and Michael Brantley hit home runs as the Cleveland Indians snapped their six-game losing streak with a 12-5 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Danny Salazar became just the third Indians starting pitcher to win a game this year by pitching five innings. REUTERS
