Cardinals hold off Cubs 3-0 at foggy Wrigley

Rookie JJ Wetherholt homered on the first pitch and doubled, Kyle Leahy threw five crisp innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 3-0 at foggy Wrigley Field on Saturday night for their third straight victory.

Ivan Herrera and Alec Burleson each had RBIs to help St. Louis win for the fifth time in six, and hand the Cubs a second straight loss following a five-game winning streak.

Wetherholt also singled and walked as the third-place Cardinals climbed to just a half- game behind second-place Chicago in the NL Central.

The game was delayed by fog starting for 15 minutes after the sixth inning with the Cardinals ahead 2-0.

The rare Saturday night contest at the iconic North Side ballpark started an hour late due to rain, then fog billowed in beginning the second inning and got denser. Players seemed to struggle tracking fly balls, but there were no misplays.

Leahy (7-4) allowed three singles, while striking out six and walking two. Cubs starter Shota Imanaga (5-7) gave up two runs on four hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Chicago All-Star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, reached base four times with a hit, two walks and a hit by pitch.

Cardinals LHP Matthew Liberatore (4-5, 5.33 ERA) was set to oppose RHP Javier Assad (6-1, 4.53) on Sunday in the series finale.



(AP Photo David Banks)