CHICAGO -AP- Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday homered to backAdam Wainwright, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs4-3 on Tuesday night.
The Cardinals won their second straight game after going 0-5 on their first winless homestand of at least two series since 1983.
Carpenter and Holliday connected against Jason Hammel (7-3) in a three-run third inning that made it 4-1. Wainwright (6-4) pitched into the seventh and improved to 10-1 in 21 games -- 16 starts -- at Wrigley Field.
 
Carpenter, Holliday homer as Cardinals beat Cubs 4-3
 
The Cardinals put themselves in position to sweep their first trip to Chicago since last year's NL Division Series, though it won't be easy with the major league-leading Cubs sending reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta to the mound.
Chris Coghlan scored two runs for the Cubs, whose longest losing streak is three games. Chicago hit into three double plays.
Wainwright allowed three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Chicago's Addison Russell doubled off the wall in left leading off the seventh. Jonathan Broxton came in with two outs and walked Coghlan, putting runners on first and third, but first basemanBrandon Moss made a diving stop on Jason Heyward's grounder to end the threat.
Kevin Siegrist worked the eighth, and Trevor Rosenthal handled the ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances. Shaky in Monday's win, he gave up a one-out single to Russell and walked Javier Baez with two outs before pinch-hitter Matt Szczur grounded into a force play to end the game.
Hammel went 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and six hits.
STRETCH TO START
The Cubs optioned right-hander Adam Warren to Triple-A Iowa to prepare him for a major league start. The Cubs plan to have him start two minor-league games and make one for them before the All-Star break. Warren might make another start after that.
Chicago will have played 24 consecutive days before the break. Stretching Warren will give the starters an extra day of rest.
 

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