:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/6957769/144494629.jpg)
The Chicago Cubs swamped the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Monday night. The Cubs landed 22 runners on base by hit, walk, and St. Louis error. Despite only plating 6 of their baserunners, the Cubs managed to defeat the Cardinals 6-4 in the first game of the clubs' two-game series.
After a 1-2-3 first inning, starter Jake Westbrook had a rough outing. The sinkerballer allowed 11 hits and 2 walks in 5 innings pitched. Somehow, Westbrook only allowed 4 runs before leaving after 107 pitches thrown. He exited trailing 4-0 at the game's halfway point.
The Cardinals offense rallied to get Westbrook off the decision hook with a four-run sixth, but the Cubs bounced back with yet more baserunners. Jon Jay led things off with a single and Matt Holliday did the same. After Allen Craig flew out to center for the first out, Lance Berkman singled in Jay to make it a 4-1 game. David Freese then drew a walk and was thrown out at home on an double by Yadier Molina that drove in Holliday and Berkman. Skip Schumaker then floated a single to left field that scored Molina and made it a 4-4 game. Pinch-hitting for Eduardo Sanchez, Matt Carpenter struck out to end the inning.
Sanchez made his 2012 big-league debut in impressive fashion with a scoreless sixth that included a strikeout. Victor Marte threw a scoreless seventh, pitching his way around a hit and two Mike Matheny-ordered intentional walks with two strikeouts. Mitchell Boggs had another rough outing due to both his pitching and the Cardinals poor defense behind him. Boggs pitched the eighth and the ninth innings and wound up the "losing" pitcher with a line that featured two runs (one earned), two hits, one walk, two strikeouts, and two errors by his defense.
It was all-around ugly effort from the Redbirds on Monday night. The loss extends the St. Louis losing streak to four games--all at home. The two-game series concludes tomorrow at 12:45 P.M. CDT.