Cubs use a big inning to beat Cardinals, 6-3

Kyle Hendricks and Addison Russell had successful squeeze bunts, and Jorge Soler capped a five-run second inning with a two-run home run, and the Chicago Cubs held off the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-3, on Saturday night to tie their National League division series at a game apiece.

The series moves to Chicago for Game 3 on Monday, where the Cubs’ 22-game winner Jake Arrieta faces St. Louis’ Michael Wacha.

The Cardinals made two errors as the Cubs didn’t hit the ball out of the infield in scoring their first three runs in the second inning.

Playing in his first postseason game, Soler connected against Jaime Garcia, who was lifted after the second inning because of a stomach ailment.

Dexter Fowler, Soler and Starlin Castro each had two of Chicago’s six hits in front of 47,859, a postseason record at 10-year-old Busch Stadium.

Soler also hit a double and walked twice to help the Cubs to their first postseason victory since 2003. Chicago had lost seven consecutive division series games.

The Cardinals hit three home runs, including a leadoff drive by Matt Carpenter. Consecutive home runs by Kolten Wong and pinch-hitter Randal Grichuk with two outs in the fifth inning chased Hendricks one out shy of qualifying for the victory in his postseason debut.

Travis Wood gave up one hit with two strikeouts in 2 1-3 innings for the victory. Hector Rondon picked up a save.

The Cubs capitalized when Garcia blew a play on a safety squeeze by Hendricks. The pitcher hesitated instead of throwing home, then made a wild throw to first base for an error.

Russell, the next batter, squeezed in another run, and Fowler had a run-scoring infield hit before Soler drove a high 2-and-2 pitch over the center-field wall.