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Jul 7 '19
CHICAGO -- Yadier Molina had a simple goal for his ninth-inning at-bat with the bases loaded and the score tied on Sunday. Christian McCaffrey Womens Jersey . "I was looking not to strike out," he said. After fouling off some tough two-strike pitches, Molina hit a ground-ball single up the middle to drive in two runs and the St. Louis Cardinals snapped out of an offensive funk with a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs. "I got a little lucky that they were playing me to pull," Molina said. "It was a good at-bat. I was able to put the ball in play and good things happened." The defending National League champions had lost four of five to fall a game below .500. The Cardinals scored all their runs with two outs. Molina, moved into the No. 2 spot to jump start the lineup, was 0 for 4 before coming through in the ninth. But it was a wild pitch in the seventh inning that allowed the Cubs to tie the score at 3 that had Molina more frustrated. The pitch from reliever Carlos Martinez was in the dirt and trickled through Molinas legs, allowing Luis Valbuena to score. "I was there," Molina said. "I dont know. Its one of those things. I was ready for it and the ball still goes through my legs." Kevin Siegrist (1-1) got the win in relief, while Trevor Rosenthal picked up his eighth save in as many opportunities despite a scare in the ninth inning. Hector Randon (0-1) took the loss for the Cubs, who were attempting to win four straight games for the first time since July. While Cardinals manager Mike Matheny had looked for Molina, one of his hottest hitters, to get the offence going, it was a couple of struggling batters at the bottom of the lineup that got things started early. With two outs in the second inning and Jhonny Peralta on first base, Randal Grichuk drilled a triple into the right-centre field gap for a 1-0 lead. Mark Ellis, who went 3 for 4, followed with a double to left-centre to make it 2-0. Both Grichuk (.167) and Ellis (.143) entered hitting well below .200. St. Louis stretched the lead to 3-0 in the third as Matt Adams doubled home Matt Holiday. The Cubs pulled within 3-2 in the fourth with some clutch two-out hitting. With one out, Ryan Kalish singled and John Baker walked. After a groundout moved the runners to second and third, Cubs starter Jason Hammel singled to right to drive in both. Molinas go-ahead single to centre came on the sixth pitch of the at-bat from Randon. "I thought I made a good pitch today, but something happened," Randon said. Molina seemed more relieved that the wild pitch wasnt a factor than he drove in the game-deciding runs. "(Molina) does a good job of not wearing his emotions and how frustrating that is for him," Matheny said. "Its hard to count the number of balls he keeps in front of him, the number of runs he saves. Its something we dont take for granted." Valbuena doubled in a run with two outs in the ninth to make it 5-4, but Rosenthal got Anthony Rizzo to ground out to end the game. "Guys kept grinding it out," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "We just fell a little short." NOTES: The ESPN broadcast team of Dan Shulman and John Kruk worked from the bleachers. ... While making a rehab start Sunday with Double A Springfield, LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder) was hit by a pitch on the left elbow and left after two innings and 28 pitches. "I think they went in and took precautionary X-rays," Matheny said. "I havent heard anything back yet." ... In the same game, RHP Jason Motte threw a scoreless inning, striking out three, in his first rehab outing. ... Rizzo entered with a .429 on-base percentage, which was fifth-best in the National League. ... The Cards open a series in Atlanta on Monday, with RHP Shelby Miller (3-2) facing RHP Aaron Harang, while the Cubs host the crosstown White Sox with RHP Jeff Samardzija (0-3) going up against LHP Jose Quintana (1-2). Greg Olsen Panthers Jersey . -- The San Francisco 49ers have re-signed cornerback Perrish Cox to a one-year contract. Will Grier Youth Jersey . - Hitting was supposed to be the Pittsburgh Pirates weakness coming into the season yet they lead the major leagues in home runs through the first 16 games of the season.MILWAUKEE - While Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun doesnt think he can ever stop apologizing, hes also ready for a new chapter in his baseball career. Its been a unique off-season for Braun, the 2011 NL MVP trying to make amends with fans and teammates following his 65-game suspension last year for violating Major League Baseballs anti-drug agreement. "I dont ever know if I could apologize enough for whats occurred, you know? I just continue to move forward and obviously Ill be apologetic," Braun said Sunday morning before an appearance at Brewers On Deck, the teams annual off-season fan event. Save for one heckler, Braun received a relatively warm welcome. At one point, he got a standing ovation when introduced on stage for a "Hollywood Squares" type game show. "I wish I could go back and do things differently, but I cant. All I can do is move forward and make the best of the opportunities presented to me," Braun told reporters. The event at a downtown Milwaukee convention centre was Brauns first major public appearance since his admission last year that he took performance-enhancing drugs and accepted his suspension in late July, abandoning claims he was innocent. Since then, Braun has kept in touch with management and teammates. Hes made at least one low-key appearance for a charity, and spoke to the media the day before Thanksgiving at a food drive at Miller Park. "Ive been hanging out with him. Its all good. I think hes just ready to move on like we all are," catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. Braun said he thinks hes called every suite holder and many season ticket holders, and he said it he had one "really challenging conversation." It matters what people think, he said. "Ive always taken tremendous pride in being a role model. I made a huge mistake. Ive paid a great price for that mistake," he said. "I deeply regret it. DJ Moore Womens Jersey. I wish I could change it." Despite all thats happened, there were still a fair number of fans wearing No. 8 Braun jerseys on Sunday. When asked his first question on the mock game show, a heckler from the audience yelled "You know hes lying." Braun ignored the jab but played it off his next time up. "As a fan so graciously pointed out, Ive gotten in trouble in the past for not being completely forthcoming," Braun said. Manager Ron Roenicke said it was important for Braun to build his relationship with fans the community, though getting back to the level of interaction and acceptance from before the suspension wont "happen overnight." "Hes served the penalty Major League Baseball has come up with, and hopefully thats beyond what we need to address now," Roenicke said. Suspension aside, a thumb injury also limited Braun — part of a litany of injuries that hit the Brewers. Braun hit .298 with nine homers and 38 RBIs in 61 games, by far the worst production of his career. That was in left field. This year, hes moving to right. The Brewers are realigning their outfield following the trade of Norichika Aoki to Kansas City and the emergence down the stretch of rookie Khris Davis in left. Braun isnt worried about a drop-off in production. "No, I think Ill be better than Ive ever been. Very confident in that," he said. The thumb feels good. Braun also got married in the off-season. Spring training starts in a less than a month, and he hasnt been this eager to get started since 2011. Braun declined comment when asked about the 162-game suspension of Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who is suing to get his punishment overturned. Braun said "he hasnt really paid close attention to his situation." AP freelance writers Andrew Wagner and Joe Totoraitis contributed to this report. Wholeslae Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Cheap College Jerseys Cheap Football Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap Baseball Jerseys ' ' '
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