A look at what’s happening around baseball today:MAX MATCHUPNationals ace Max Scherzer (15-5
http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-steven-souza-jersey , 2.28 ERA) will try to become the first 16-game winner in the majors when he
starts the Sunday night game at Wrigley Field. Owner of three Cy Young Awards,
he also leads the majors in strikeouts this year with 216 in 161 2/3 innings.
Cole Hamels starts for the Cubs — he’s allowed just one earned run in 11 innings
during the first two starts since being acquired from Texas.SALE SETRed Sox ace
Chris Sale returns from a two-week stint on the disabled list because of
shoulder inflammation. Manager Alex Cora said the lefty could throw 100 pitches
if he’s not too rusty. Sale (11-4) leads the AL with a 2.04 ERA and will try to
pitch Boston to a four-game sweep of the Orioles at Camden Yards.WELCOME
BACKMets third baseman David Wright is set to play in a minor league game, more
than two years since the oft-injured team captain last appeared in the majors.
The 35-year-old Wright has been beset by back, neck and shoulder trouble. He’s
scheduled to start a rehab assignment by playing five innings in the field for
Class A St. Lucie. His last game in the bigs was May 27, 2016 — he had a brief
stint in the minors last August before being shut down.WAITINGThe Rockies will
see how third baseman Nolan Arenado is feeling, a day after he was out of the
starting lineup at Coors Field against the Dodgers. The All-Star third baseman
left Friday night’s game with a strained right shoulder. Arenado is hitting .307
with 29 home runs and 82 RBIs, and Colorado is hoping he can avoid a trip to the
disabled list.MISS HIMThe AL Central-leading Indians have put slugger Edwin
Encarnacion on the DL because of swelling in his left biceps. The cleanup man
has struggled since being hit on the right hand by Yankees reliever Chad Green
before the All-Star break.SWEET SWINGBlue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
has hit four home runs in the last four games for Triple-A Buffalo. The
19-year-old son of a Hall of Famer is batting a combined .406 with 18 home runs
at four levels of the minor leagues. The Bisons host the Toledo Mud Hens to wrap
up the weekend. ST. LOUIS (AP) — Milwaukee’s last NL MVP thinks he is about to
get some company.Led by Christian Yelich’s silky smooth game, the Brewers are
closing in on the playoffs.Yelich homered and drove in a career-high six runs,
and surging Milwaukee hurt St. Louis’ postseason chances with a 12-4 victory
over the Cardinals on Tuesday.“Just trying to help the boys out any way you
can
Chris Archer Jersey ,” Yelich said. “A lot of guys came through in some big situations for us. That was a lot of fun tonight.”Ryan Braun went deep twice and
Jesus Aguilar also connected as Milwaukee lowered its magic number for clinching
a playoff spot to one. But the Brewers are thinking bigger after their fifth win
in six games put them just a half-game back of the NL Central-leading Chicago
Cubs.“I think the division is kind of what’s on our mind right now,” manager
Craig Counsell said, “and I think we’ve earned that with the last two
days.”Milwaukee (91-67) leads Colorado by 3½ games for the top wild card. St.
Louis (87-71) dropped a half-game behind Colorado for the second NL wild card
after the Rockies routed Philadelphia 10-3.“We have four games to play, and we
feel good about the club we have and the kind of guys we have and the character
we have and the talent we have,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “We’ll
control what we can control and we’ll get after it and let the chips
fall.”Following Wednesday’s series finale, Milwaukee closes the regular season
with a weekend set at home against lowly Detroit. St. Louis also is off Thursday
before beginning a three-game series against the slumping Cubs at Wrigley
Field.Yadier Molina hit a three-run homer for the Cardinals, who had won six of
seven before their 6-4 loss to Milwaukee on Monday night. Marcell Ozuna went 3
for 3 with a walk.St. Louis left the bases loaded in the fifth and seventh
innings when Jedd Gyorko came up empty each time. Third baseman Mike Moustakas
turned an inning-ending double play on Gyorko’s chopper near the bag in the
fifth, and Gyorko flied to right for the final out of the seventh.“This one’s
kind of on me,” Gyorko said. “I’ve got to find a way to get the job done in
those situations.”Milwaukee scored 11 runs with two out
Kevin Kiermaier Jersey , including its first six. Yelich came up with the bases loaded in the fourth and tripled into the gap in right-center, lifting the
Brewers to a 6-0 lead. After Lorenzo Cain was intentionally walked with two out
in the ninth, Yelich hit a three-run drive to center.“It’s part of the game, but
at the same time, it’s a challenge,” Yelich said of the walk to Cain. “As a
competitor, you want to answer the challenge.”Yelich is batting .346 with seven
homers and 28 RBIs in 22 games this month. He has 33 homers, 104 RBIs, 110 runs
and 181 hits on the year
http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-alex-cobb-jersey , all career highs.Braun, who won the MVP award in 2011, said he thinks Yelich is
about to join the club.“I can’t foresee a scenario in which he doesn’t win it,”
Braun said. “He’s been so incredible for us in every facet of the game.”Taylor
Williams (1-3), the second of six Milwaukee relievers after Gio Gonzalez pitched
four innings, got three outs for the win. The Brewers used nine pitchers in
their series-opening victory.Cardinals rookie Austin Gomber (6-2) was tagged for
five runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.LONG GONECardinals first baseman Matt
Carpenter and Shildt were ejected in the seventh inning. Carpenter argued with
home plate umpire Will Little after he was called out on strikes, and then was
thrown out as he walked toward the dugout.“I understand the importance of
staying in these games,” Carpenter said. “So when I get thrown out of the game
as I’m walking away, that’s something I have a problem with.”TRAINER’S
ROOMBrewers: All-Star reliever Jeremy Jeffress was available after he missed the
series opener because of neck spasms.Cardinals: 2B Kolten Wong returned to the
starting lineup for the first time since he left Friday’s victory over San
Francisco with cramps in both hamstrings. He struck out swinging as a pinch
hitter in the ninth inning of Monday’s loss. “Obviously at this point of the
season no one’s 100 percent
Wade Boggs Jersey ,” he said. “For me as long as I know I can run and I can play I’m going to be out there.”UP NEXTBrewers right-hander Jhoulys Chacin
(14-8, 3.61 ERA) and Cardinals right-hander John Gant (7-6, 3.53 ERA) pitch
Wednesday night in the series finale. Chacin is 0-3 with a 4.34 ERA in four
September starts. Gant lasted just 2 2/3 innings in his last outing, yielding
one run and four hits Friday against the Giants.
