Mike Tauchman made the game-saving catch at the center field wall with two outs in the ninth inning as the visiting Chicago Cubs edged the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 Friday for their seventh straight victory.
Cardinals pinch-hitter Alec Burleson lifted the potential two-run homer against Adbert Alzolay, but the leaping Tauchman reached over the wall to catch the ball and end the game.
Patrick Wisdom hit a homer for the Cubs and Dansby Swanson and Trey Mancini also drove in runs.
The Cubs recalled Hayden Wesneski from Triple-A Iowa to serve as the opener in a bullpen game. He struck out four batters and allowed one run on two hits in two innings.
Drew Smyly (8-7) relieved Wesneski in the third inning and allowed one run on two hits and a walk while striking out six batters in 4 1/3 innings. Alzolay earned his 12th save.
Lars Nootbaar hit two homers for the Cardinals, who lost for the sixth time in their last eight games.
Jordan Montgomery (6-9) allowed three runs on five hits, four walks and a hit batter in six innings in potentially his last start for the Cardinals. The Cardinals have reportedly entertained trade offers for him.
Bench coach Joe McEwing guided the Cardinals while manager Oliver Marmol served his one-game suspension for Miles Mikolas hitting Ian Happ with a pitch Thursday.
The Cardinals struck first with Nootbaar’s first-inning homer. Then he doubled St. Louis’ lead to 2-0 on his homer to lead off the third.
Wisdom cut the Chicago deficit to 2-1 with a fifth-inning homer.
The Cubs surged ahead 3-2 in the sixth inning, Seiya Suzuki hit a double, Happ walked, and Montgomery hit Cody Bellinger to load the bases.
After Swanson hit sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2, Yan Gomes walked and Mancini hit a RBI single to put the Cubs ahead. But left fielder Tyler O’Neill threw Bellinger out at the plate on that play to prevent further damage.
–Field Level Media
