UNDATED (AP) — The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers continue to share the NL Central lead while putting distance between themselves and the St. Louis Cardinals
Zach Davies tossed two-hit ball into the seventh inning to outduel Carlos Martinez and send the Cubs to a 2-0 victory and a three-game sweep of the Cardinals. Davies struck out six and walked two in 6 2/3 innings to win his second straight start.
The Cubs with just four hits, including Anthony Rizzo’s RBI single. Chicago also scored on a fielding error by shortstop Paul DeJong.
The Cubs have won five straight and 15 of 20. St. Louis has dropped three straight and 11 of 13 to fall one game below .500 at 32-33.
Avisail Garcia slammed a two-run homer and the Brewers completed a three-game sweep with a 5-2 win over the Pirates. Christian Yelich added a pinch-hit sacrifice fly on his bobblehead day, helping the Brew Crew win for the 14th time in 16 games despite collecting just five hits.
Josh Hader struck out the side in the ninth for his 17th save in as many chances, closing out the Pirates’ seventh consecutive loss.
Elsewhere around the majors:
— Eugenio Suárez hit an early two-run homer and the surging Reds climbed back over .500 for the first time since April 21 by beating the Rockies, 6-2. The Reds have won 10 of their last 13, including three straight over the Rockies.
— Austin Riley homered and drove in three runs to help the Braves dump the Marlins, 6-4 and end a four-game losing streak. Ender Inciarte also homered to support Drew Smyly, who gave up two runs over five innings on his 32nd birthday.
— Fernando Tatis Jr. launched a tiebreaking grand slam in the seventh inning and Manny Machado followed with a homer as the Padres topped the Mets, 7-3 to end a four-game skid. Chris Paddack struck out nine over six strong innings in his first win since May 21.
— Kyle Schwarber drove in four runs with homers in his first two at-bats as the Nationals blanked the NL West-leading Giants, 5-0. Joe Ross allowed five hits in eight innings as the Nationals gained a four-game split.
— The Dodgers were 5-3 winners over the Rangers behind Walker Buehler, who is 6-0 after tossing four-hit ball over six scoreless innings. Zach McKinstry had a two-run double while going 3 for 3 with a walk in LA’s fifth victory in six games.
— The Phillies completed a two-game sweep of the Yankees as Aaron Nola allowed three hits and struck out nine in a 7-0 shutout. Odubel Herrera, Jean Segura and J.T. Realmuto combined to go 7 for 13 with a double, a triple, four runs scored and five RBIs.
— Carlos Rodón flirted with another no-hitter and the White Sox completed a three-game sweep by knocking off Detroit, 4-1. Rodón was going for his second no-hitter of the season until Eric Haase doubled with one out in the seventh.
—Teoscar Hernández belted a pair of three-run shots over the Green Monster, two of the Blue Jays’ eight homers in an 18-4 rout of the Red Sox. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Cavan Biggio, Rowdy Tellez and Marcus Semien also went deep, a day after Toronto homered five times at Fenway.
— The Rays won for the 23rd time in their last 28 games by drubbing the Orioles, 7-1. Randy Arozarena hit his first career grand slam and Tampa Bay relievers combined for seven no-hit innings to send Baltimore to its team record-extending 15th consecutive road loss.
— Michael Brantley had his second four-hit game of the series and drove in four runs to highlight the Astros’ 20-hit attack in a 14-3 assault on the Twins. Minnesota’s Michael Pineda left after four innings due to a reoccurrence of right forearm soreness that first bothered him June 1.
— Athletics hurler Chris Bassitt escaped a scary line drive to win his seventh straight decision, allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings to beat the Royals, 6-3. Matt Olson hit a pair of solo homers and Matt Chapman also connected for Oakland.
— Jake Fraley slammed a two-run homer off AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber to give the Mariners a 5-0 lead in a 6-2 downing of the Indians. Fraley entered the game in place of Mitch Haniger, who suffered a bruise when he fouled a pitch off his left knee in the first inning.
— Patrick Sandoval pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning of the Angels’ sixth consecutive win, a 10-3 pounding of the Diamondbacks. Max Stassi hit a two-run homer in the first and Jared Walsh added a two-run shot in the eighth.
