By MATT PIKE
The Chicago Cubs slowed down the St. Louis Cardinals offense, keeping them off the board completely, and giving up just four hits, in an 8-0 shutout at Busch Stadium on Wednesday night.
It was the Cubs benefitting from the home runs on Wednesday off Cardinals starter Erick Fedde, Ian Happ leading off the game with a solo home run in the first. In the second inning, Michael Busch drove in Dansby Swanson with an RBI single and later scored himself on a two run home run by Reese McGuire, pushing the Cubs lead to 4-0.
In the third inning, Chicago continued extending their lead with another solo home run by Kyle Tucker leading off the inning. In the fourth, Happ drove in two more runs on a single, bringing home Busch and Matt Shaw. Then in the fifth inning, a groundout by Shaw allowed Swanson to come home to score the final run.
The Cardinals got a double from Yohel Pozo and a single from Masyn Winn in the third inning also getting a single from Nolan Gorman in the fifth inning as three hits off Cubs starter Matthew Boyd. José Fermín singled off Porter Hodge in the ninth inning for the only other hit off a Cubs pitcher.
Fedde took the loss, falling to 3-7 on the year, pitching 3 2/3 innings and giving up seven runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking two. At the plate, each with a hit was 1-for-3 with Pozo being the only batter with an extra base hit. Fermín was 1-for-1 entering as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning.
St. Louis and Chicago wrap up their series tomorrow. Andre Pallante (5-3, 4.48 ERA) takes the mound for the Cardinals against Shota Imanaga (3-2, 2.82 ERA) for the Cubs. First pitch is at 1:15pm, coverage will join near the start at 1:05 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.
