Cubs comeback falls short in 6-4 loss to Cards

Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Carpenter drove in three runs while Edwin Jackson and Blake Parker combined to allow six runs on 11 hits to effectively end the series, with the win going to St. Louis. The Cubs scored one in the ninth on a Mike Olt line drive RBI single, but the Cubs stranded the tying run on base after to drop the rubber match of the three game set.

Jackson did not have one of his better starts, serving up eight hits and four runs while walking three to take his first loss of the year. After giving up six runs and nine hits last time out against the Pirates, this was not the start Jackson needed to get back on track.

Michael Wacha on the other hand, was very good as he struck out eight batters on just five hits in six-plus innings to win his second of the new season. One pitch really hurt Wacha`s final line, a two-run homer from Anthony Rizzo in the first, but he settled down very well after that to finish with a nice outing.

The Cubs bullpen once again faltered, including Blake Parker who gave up two earned runs in the eighth. Parker was recalled prior to Sunday’s game.

Rizzo got the game off to a great start, blasting one to right in the first off Wacha to make it 2-0.

The Cardinals responded in the second with a two-run single by Carpenter and RBI single from Kolten Wong for a 3-2 lead.

The Cubs came back quickly from the three runs, with Welington Castillo grounding a solid RBI single to left in the fourth after a 46-minute rain delay in the bottom of the third.

As the Cubs came back quickly, so did the Cardinals when Carpenter once again burned the Cubs with a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it 3-3.

Johonny Peralta hit an RBI double then an error by Olt plated Allen Craig to extend the Cards lead to 6-3 in the eighth.

Lake hit a leadoff triple to center in the ninth then scored on Olt’s liner up the middle to cut the deficit to 6-4. Cardinals’ closer Trevor Rosenthal was able to get Luis Valbuena to fly out to center and Emilion Bonifcaio to ground out for the series victory.

The Cubs (4-8) have yet to win a series having dropped the first four, two game to one.

After an off-day on Monday, the Cubs will continue their road trip against the New York Yankees. Two off-season additions, Jason Hammel (2-0, 2.63 ERA) and Masahiro Tanaka (1-0, 3.21 ERA) will start.