Steele leads Cubs past Cardinals 6-2 on home runs by Tauchman, Amaya
CHICAGO — Justin Steele threw three hitters into the seventh inning and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 on Sunday night for their fourth victory in five games.
Mike Tauchman and Miguel Amaya both homered in the sixth inning and finished with two hits and two runs scored to help the Cubs overcome a 2-0 deficit in the top of the inning. Chicago has won three of four games against its NL Central rival at Wrigley Field.
St. Louis rookie Masyn Winn hit a two-run home run in the third inning, the only score against Steele. The shortstop’s ninth home run was his third in six games and second of the series.
“Justin was really sharp today the first two innings,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He fell behind Masyn Winn and kind of recovered from that and was really sharp the rest of the day.”
Michael Busch and Cody Bellinger drove in runs and Chicago took the lead with two runs in the fifth inning. Dansby Swanson drove in a run and the Cubs drove in another on a forced foul by Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas.
Steele (3-5) bounced back from a rough outing in Cincinnati on Tuesday, retiring 12 straight Cardinals batters in one stretch. The left-hander struck out six and walked two in 6 2/3 innings before being replaced by Porter Hodge after throwing 99 pitches on a humid night.
“Even with the home run I gave up, I still felt like I pitched pretty well,” Steele said. “But I felt like throughout the game, for the most part, I had control of where the ball was going. I had control of the ball.”
Julian Merryweather pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning, retiring all three men on six pitches to finish with a combined four hits.
Tauchman started in left field in replacement of Ian Happ, who was pulled late in the game with left shoulder soreness. Happ, a two-time Gold Glove winner, was injured when he hit the outfield wall in the ninth inning Saturday while trying to catch a ball.
Before Sunday night, Tauchman’s last at-bat was Thursday, when he pinch-hit in the ninth inning and hit a game-ending double to cap Chicago’s 5-4 victory.
“You just have to stay ready,” Tauchman said. “I want to win with this group. I believe in this group. Whatever role I play, that’s the way it is.”
Mikolas (8-9) allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks in four-plus innings.
Winn’s home run barely reached the right-center field basket and gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead. His previous shot on Thursday barely reached the left-field basket.
The Cubs tied it 2-2 in the fourth inning. Isaac Paredes scored from third on a groundout by Swanson. Tauchman, who had hit a double, scored from third on a force out by Mikolas.
The foul was called by home plate umpire Clint Vondrak for an illegal move toward home plate.
“I was busy and moving, but I moved my back foot first,” Mikolas said. “I asked the first-base umpire, ‘Am I allowed to come down whenever I want?’ He said, ‘Yes.’”
“So what’s the problem? I didn’t get a chance to talk to the home plate umpire at the time either. I was a little confused, a little frustrated.”
Chicago took a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning. The Cubs took the lead with three straight singles capped by Busch’s hit.
Mikolas walked Seiya Suzuki to load the bases and was replaced by John King. Bellinger followed with a sacrifice fly.
Tauchman hit his sixth home run in the top of the sixth inning, then Amaya added his fourth as Chicago pulled away.
TRAINERS’ ROOM
Cardinals: They placed rookie CF Michael Siani (right oblique strain) on the 10-day injured list and recalled OF Victor Scott II from Triple-A Memphis. St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol wasn’t sure how long the speedy Siani would be sidelined. … Lars Nootbaar started in center.
Cubs: Counsell said Happ’s condition is day to day and his injury does not appear serious.
FOLLOWING
Cardinals: Right-handed pitcher Andre Pallante (4-5, 4.04 ERA) faces Mets left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea (7-4, 3.50) in St. Louis on Monday, making up for a May 8 rainout loss.
Cubs: Right-handed pitcher Kyle Hendricks (3-9, 6.86) takes the mound against Twins right-hander David Festa (1-2, 6.98) at Wrigley Field on Monday night.
___
