The St. Louis Cardinals secured their sixth consecutive victory with a 7-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night. Jordan Walker and Paul DeJong played key roles, each hitting a two-run homer to boost the Cardinals’ offense. Nolan Arenado contributed with two RBI, and Steven Matz delivered five solid innings, earning his first win since September 17.
Chicago’s Marcus Stroman struggled on the mound, lasting just 3 2/3 innings and allowing five runs, four of which were earned. The Cubs dropped to a 7-9 record in July, and there are speculations about Stroman being a top pitcher on the trade market ahead of the August 1 deadline.
St. Louis took an early lead with Willson Contreras’ RBI double in the first inning, and they extended it further with four runs in the fourth. Walker’s homer, along with Arenado’s two-run double, propelled the Cardinals’ offense.
DeJong’s fifth-inning homer against Michael Rucker sealed the deal for St. Louis, securing their ninth victory in the last 11 games. The Cubs’ Patrick Wisdom had a challenging night, making a few errors on the field, but the team was also relieved that he was okay after taking a pitch to the ear flap of his helmet.
The series will continue on Friday, with St. Louis’ Jack Flaherty facing Chicago’s Justin Steele.