Arenado's two-run single in the eighth helps Cardinals beat Cubs 5-4 for a doubleheader sweep

ST. LOUIS -- — Nolan Arenado hit a two-run single in the eighth inning, Masyn Winn and Willson Contreras homered and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-4 on Saturday night to complete a doubleheader sweep.

St. Louis won the opener 11-3 as Alec Burleson hit a three-run homer to cap a nine-run first inning, and Lance Lynn (5-4) pitched six solid innings.

“Going into this break, we want to win this series and get some Ws,” Winn said. “So, to do it against a rival, two games in one day, it's pretty fun.”

John King, Andrew Kittredge and JoJo Romero (4-1) combined to pitch four scoreless innings of relief in the second game before Ryan Helsley pitched a scoreless ninth for his major league-leading 32nd save in 34 chances.

Cardinals starter Kyle Gibson allowed four runs on 10 hits and threw 98 pitches in four innings in the nightcap.

“I can't say enough about the bullpen,” Gibson said. “What a great job they did coming in throwing up five zeros, really giving the offense chance after chance. And then Arenado comes up with a big hit. These are the team wins that you look back on in September and October and builds you as a team and gets you to where you want to be.”

Contreras walked and Paul Goldschmidt hit a ground-rule double over the left-field wall to start the eighth inning. Porter Hodge (0-1) struck out Brendan Donovan before surrendering the single to Arenado to give St. Louis the lead.

“It felt great,” Arenado said. “Just to come through for the boys and help us get a win. I feel like I haven't done that very much this first half, so it felt great. That pitcher has a good arm. I was just happy to get a pitch over the plate and hit it hard.”

Michael Busch had three hits, and Miguel Amaya homered for the Cubs in the nightcap.

Cubs Game 2 starter Javier Assad allowed three runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings. Assad was activated off the injured list before the games and served as the Cubs’ 27th man.

“I felt good out there,” Assad said through an interpreter. “I felt healthy. I just threw a couple pitches that I didn't necessarily execute well, and that's where they were able to get those hits.”

Amaya started the Cubs’ two-out, four-run rally in the second inning by hitting his third homer of the season to tie the game at 2-all. Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki also added RBI singles as the Cubs batted around.

“We did a nice job against Gibson putting lots of traffic on,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “I think the fourth inning would be the inning you look back and say we left at least a run out there.”

The Cubs had the bases loaded with one out in the third inning, but Christopher Morel grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Winn hit his fifth homer of the season and first career leadoff home run, and Contreras hit his 10th of the season to give St. Louis a 2-0 lead in the first.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol was ejected by home plate umpire David Arrieta in the bottom of the sixth inning for arguing from the dugout about the first two pitches to Arenado that were called strikes.

Suzuki and Patrick Wisdom each homered in the opener for the Cubs, who have won five straight. Hayden Wesneski (3-6) allowed 11 runs — four earned — on 10 hits in four innings.

The nine runs scored in the first inning of the opener were the most for the Cardinals in a single inning since scoring 10 runs in the eighth against Counsell’s Milwaukee Brewers on May 15, 2023.

ROSTER MOVES

Cubs: Recalled RHP Daniel Palencia from Triple-A Iowa and optioned RHP Ethan Roberts to Iowa after he pitched two scoreless innings in Game 1.

Cardinals: Recalled RHP Kyle Leahy from Triple-A Memphis to serve as the 27th man in Saturday’s doubleheader.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: Placed LHP Luke Little (left shoulder strain) on the 15-day injured list prior to the doubleheader.

Cardinals: CF Michael Siani departed Game 1 with a left elbow contusion at the end of the third inning and did not start Game 2 but entered the game in the ninth inning as a defensive replacement. ... RHP Riley O’Brien (right forearm flexor strain) is scheduled to throw a 20-25 pitch live batting practice session with Double-A Springfield.

UP NEXT

Cubs RHP Jameson Tailon (6-4, 2.99 ERA) will oppose Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas (7-7, 4.88 ERA) Sunday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb