ST. LOUIS — Jason Hammel had a lot to do with the early six-run cushion.
The pitcher went above and beyond in helping end the Chicago Cubs’ first three-game losing streak of the season with a 12-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
“Right out of the gate, took my first swings before I made my first pitch,” Hammel said after working 7 1/3 stingy innings and contributing a two-run double to Chicago’s big first.
Hammel has beaten the Cardinals twice this season, allowing two runs in 13 1/3 innings. This was his longest outing of the year, and Manager Joe Maddon thought he could have thrown a complete game.
“It’s important for us, it’s important for him psychologically to be able to do that,” Maddon said. “It’s important that they know he can.”
Michael Wacha (2-5) gave up a career-worst 8 runs in 4 innings and has lost 5 consecutive decisions for the first time. The right-hander was a 17-game winner last season and the NL championship series MVP as a rookie in 2013, but this season has a 5.04 ERA.
“It’s a pretty discouraging start,” Wacha, 24, said. “I never really gave the team a chance.”
Jorge Soler drew a bases-loaded walk in the first and hit a two-run home run in the fifth.
The six-run inning was a season-best for the NL Central leaders. David Ross had an RBI double for his 500th career hit on a ball that somehow eluded center fielder Randal Grichuk’s glove at the warning track, and Kris Bryant had an RBI single in the outburst.
Hammel (6-1) bounced back from his first loss in his previous start, allowing 1 run on 4 hits and retiring the side in order 5 times. The two-run double gave him a career-best five RBI on the year and his sixth hit in 23 at-bats.
“Nice, let’s focus on that,” Hammel said. “And I’ve got four months to go.”
The outing was his longest since throwing 7 2/3 innings against the Dodgers on June 23, 2015. He’s 6-1 for the second time in his career, also doing it in 2012.
“Honestly, I really wasn’t that good tonight,” Hammel said. “I got away with a lot of stuff.”
Wacha had no losing streak longer than three games prior to this season. In his last three outings he has allowed 20 runs, 16 earned, in 12 innings, with all three outings lasting four innings.
“When the season broke he was as good as anybody,” Manager Mike Matheny said. “He found a real good spot and we know what it looks like when he can get into a good rhythm.”
Pinch hitters Tim Fedorowicz and Matt Szcur had an RBI apiece in a four-run ninth off Dean Kiekhefer.
Cardinals rookie SS Aledmys Diaz made an outstanding over-the-shoulder catch in shallow left, the start of a highly unusual 6-4-3 double play to end the second. Kris Bryant singled and had rounded second when Diaz snared Anthony Rizzo’s flare. Diaz tossed to second baseman Kolten Wong, who flipped to first.
Up next, Chicago has won Jake Arrieta’s last 22 starts, a franchise record. He’s 19-0 since his last loss on July 25, 2015 against the Phillies. Arrieta leads the majors with a 1.29 ERA and .153 opponents’ batting average.
For the Cardinals, Carlos Martinez (4-4, 3.56) has lost four consecutive starts for the first time in his career. But he’s 3-0 for his career against the Cubs.
PIRATES 12, DIAMONDBACKS 1 Gregory Polanco hit a three-run home run and drove in a career-best five runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates rolled by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
NATIONALS 7, METS 4 Stephen Strasburg remained unbeaten with an 11-strikeout performance, and the Washington Nationals hit three of their season-high five home runs off struggling Matt Harvey in a victory over the New York Mets.
BREWERS 2, BRAVES 1 Scooter Gennett’s tiebreaking single in the eighth inning lifted the Milwaukee Brewers to a victory over Atlanta, spoiling Brian Snitker’s home debut as the Braves’ interim manager.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
ROYALS 7, TWINS 4 Salvador Perez hit a two-run home run, Lorenzo Cain had four hits and two RBI, and the Kansas City Royals picked up where their bats left off the night before while beating the tumbling Minnesota Twins. Wade Davis worked a wobbly ninth inning for his 12th save in 13 attempts, preserving the seventh victory for the Royals in their last nine contests. They raised their two-game total in Minnesota this week to 30 hits and improved to 5-0 against the Twins this season. After going 5 for 5 in the series opener, missing the cycle by a home run, Perez went deep just one day and a couple of innings too late. The three-time All-Star catcher followed a leadoff walk by Kendrys Morales in the second inning with a soaring drive off his 2013 teammate Ervin Santana that landed in the grass behind the wall in center field for a 2-0 lead.
RANGERS 4, ANGELS 1 Martin Perez finally got a victory after another strong May start and rookie Nomar Mazara homered in his home park for the first time, leading the Texas Rangers to a victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
ASTROS 3, ORIOLES 2 (13) Carlos Correa’s tiebreaking single in the 13th inning lifted host Houston to a victory over Baltimore. Rookie Tony Kemp hit his first career triple off Dylan Bundy (0-1) with no outs in the 13th inning. The Orioles then intentionally walked George Springer and Jose Altuve to bring last year’s rookie of the year Correa to the plate. Correa snapped an 0-for-15 skid with a single into shallow center that scored Kemp and ended a four-game losing streak for the Astros.
YANKEES 6, BLUE JAYS 0 A resurgent Nathan Eovaldi combined with his bullpen on a two-hitter to win his fifth consecutive decision, and the Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays to extend their winning streak to six games.
INDIANS 6, WHITE SOX 2 Josh Tomlin beat Chris Sale in a one-sided matchup of unbeaten pitchers and Francisco Lindor had three hits, leading the Cleveland Indians to a victory over the Chicago White Sox.
INTERLEAGUE
RAYS 4, MARLINS 3 Jake Odorizzi allowed two hits in five shutout innings, Hank Conger hit a two-run single and the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Miami Marlins.
RED SOX 8, ROCKIES 3 David Price scattered five hits over seven innings and Jackie Bradley Jr. had a pair of hits to extend his streak to 28 games as the Boston Red Sox beat the Colorado Rockies.
TIGERS 3, PHILLIES 1 Justin Verlander struck out 10 in eight scoreless innings, and Francisco Rodriguez held on for his 400th save in the Detroit Tigers’ victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.