Steele pitches Cubs over Cardinals 6-2 behind home runs from Tauchman and Amaya

CHICAGO– Justin Steele threw a three-hitter in the seventh inning and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 on Sunday night for their fourth victory in five games.

Mike Tauchman and Miguel Amaya singled in the sixth and finished with two hits and two runs scored to help the Cubs overcome an early 2-0 deficit. Chicago took three of four from its NL Central rival at Wrigley Field.

St. Louis rookie Masyn Winn launched a two-run home run in the third, scoring Steele’s only score. The shortstop’s ninth home run was his third in six games and second of the series.

“Justin today … was really strong in the first two innings,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He fell behind Masyn Winn and kind of recovered from that and was really sharp the rest of the day.”

Michael Busch and Cody Bellinger had RBIs as Chicago pulled ahead with two runs in the fifth. Dansby Swanson ran in and the Cubs hit another past Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas.

Steele (3-5) bounced back from a tough outing at Cincinnati last Tuesday, retiring 12 consecutive Cardinals hitters during one stretch. The lefty struck out six and walked two in 6 2/3 innings before being replaced by Porter Hodge after throwing 99 pitches on a humid night.

“Even with the home run I gave up, I feel like I was still pitching decently,” Steele said. “But I felt throughout the game, for the most part, that I was in control of where the ball was going. the ball.”

Julian Merryweather pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, retiring the team on six pitches to finish a four-hit combination.

Tauchman started in left field as a replacement for Ian Happ, a late scratch with left shoulder soreness. Happ, a two-time Gold Glove winner, was injured and crashed into the outfield wall in the ninth inning on Saturday, trying to make a catch.

Heading into Sunday night, Tauchman’s previous at-bat was on Thursday, when he homered in the ninth and followed up with a game-ending double to cap Chicago’s 5-4 comeback win.

“Stay ready,” Tauchman said. “I want to win with this group. I believe in this group. Whatever role it ends up being, it’s simply what it is.

Mikolas (8-9) surrendered four runs on eight hits and two walks in four-plus innings.

Winn’s home run barely hit the basket in right-center and put St. Louis ahead 2-0. His previous shot on Thursday narrowly missed the left-center basket.

The Cubs were tied 2-2 in the fourth. Isaac Paredes scored from third on Swanson’s strikeout. Tauchman, who had doubled, came back from third place due to Mikolas.

The balk was called by plate umpire Clint Vondrak for an illegal move toward the plate.

“I was engaged and moving, but I moved my back foot first,” Mikolas said. “I asked the first base umpire, ‘Can I leave whenever I want?’ He said yes.’

“So where’s the rub? I also didn’t get a chance to talk to the home plate umpire at the time. I was a little confused, a little frustrated.”

Chicago went ahead 4-2 in the fifth. The Cubs took the lead with three consecutive singles capped by Busch’s RBI hit.

Mikolas walked Seiya Suzuki to load the bases and was replaced by John King. Bellinger followed with a sacrifice fly.

Tauchman hit his sixth homer in the leadoff of the sixth, then Amaya added his fourth as Chicago pulled away.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Placed rookie CF Michael Siani (strained right oblique) on the 10-day IL and recalled OF Victor Scott II from Triple-A Memphis. St. Louis coach Oliver Marmol wasn’t sure how long the speedy Siani would be sidelined. … Lars Nootbaar started at center.

Cubs: Counsell said Happ is day-to-day and his injury does not appear to be serious.

NEXT

Cardinals: RHP André Pallante (4-5, 4.04 ERA) faces Mets LHP Sean Manaea (7-4, 3.50) in St. Louis on Monday in a May 8 rainout.

Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-9, 6.86) beats Twins RHP David Festa (1-2, 6.98) at Wrigley Field on Monday night.

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