ST. LOUIS — Javier Baez and Ian Happ triggered a six-run rally in the ninth inning and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 on Tuesday night.
Chicago snapped a two-game losing streak by rallying against St. Louis closer Alex Reyes, who converted his first 22 saves opportunities this season.
Chicago sent 10 batters to the plate in the ninth and capitalized on three walks, an error and a missed third strike.
Baez trimmed the deficit to 6-5 with a two-run single off Reyes, Happ followed with a two-run double to put his team up 7-6.
Nolan Arenado, Jose Rondon and Tommy Edman homered for St. Louis, which had won three in a row.
Craig Kimbrel picked up his 22nd save in 24 opportunities. He set the side down in order in the ninth and fanned Paul Goldschmidt to end the game.
Dillon Maples (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless inning.
Reyes (5-4) gave up three runs on two hits.
St. Louis starter Johan Oviedo was looking for his first win in 17 career starts. He allowed one run on three hits over five-plus innings. The Cuban-born right-hander struck out five and walked one. He was removed after giving up a leadoff single to Baez to begin the sixth
Arenado put St. Louis in front 2-1 with his team-leading 18th homer of the season in the fourth off Trevor Williams, who surrendered four runs on seven hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked one in his first start since May 26 after battling appendicitis issues.
St. Louis scored three times in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. Harrison Bader doubled in Yadier Molina and Oviedo followed with a run-scoring single up the middle.
Edman and Rondon homered in sixth off reliever Rex Brothers.
Goldschmidt extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single in the seventh. It is the longest streak by a St. Louis player since Molina hit safely in 16 games from April 9-29, 2019.
Chicago outfielder Kris Bryant was removed in the fifth inning with a right hamstring issue. He made a diving catch of a liner by Paul DeJong in the third.
COACH OF MANY SKILLS
University of Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz threw out the first pitch before the contest. His toss from the mound was high and inside. In his first season, Drinkwitz guided the Tigers to a 5-5 record last fall, including a win over then-defending national champion LSU.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: INF Nico Hoerner was back in the lineup on Tuesday after a day of rest due to a hamstring issue.
Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas threw a 60-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday and will likely go out on a rehab assignment this weekend. Mikolas has been out since May 23 with right forearm tightness.
UP NEXT
Chicago RHP Kyle Hendricks (12-4, 3.65 ERA) will face RHP Adam Wainwright (7-6, 3.71) in the third game of the four-game set on Wednesday. Hendricks has won his last 10 decisions and has gone at least six innings in each of his last 12 starts. Wainwright has recorded 17 career wins against the Cubs, the most of any active pitcher.
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