There were the four double plays, one in every inning from the fifth to the eighth. Mix in a wild pitch, an error and a shaky outing from a usually reliable reliever, and that was enough.
At the plate and in the field, the Chicago Cubs just plain sputtered when they had to make a play Wednesday.
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Anthony Rizzo had three hits and Nate Schierholtz doubled home a pair of runs, but the Cubs blew a late one-run lead in a 5-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
“We just can’t seem to shut anybody down in the sixth, seventh inning,” Manager Dale Sveum said. “We’re getting two strikes on people, we just can’t make a pitch when we have to.”
Carlos Beltran had three hits and two RBI as St. Louis won for the seventh time in eight games and improved to a major league-best 14-7 on the road.
BRAVES 7, REDS 2: Dan Uggla hit two solo homers and Juan Francisco added his first career grand slam as Atlanta beat Cincinnati for the second time in three games, the first series the Reds have lost at home this season.
PADRES 1, MARLINS 0: Miami starter Ricky Nolasco gave up just one run and four hits in seven innings, but was outpitched by host San Diego’s Jason Marquis.
GIANTS 4, PHILLIES 3: Andres Torres lined a game-ending single to right field with two outs in the 10th inning, lifting host San Francisco past Philadelphia to avoid a sweep.
Javier Lopez (1-0) pitched the 10th for the win.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
INDIANS 4. ATHLETICS 3: An apparent game-tying homer by Oakland’s Adam Rosales was ruled a double by umpires in the ninth inning, and host Cleveland held on to win.
Rosales sent a drive off Indians closer Chris Perez that looked as if it cleared the left-field wall. However, second base umpire Angel Hernandez called it a double, and the crew concurred after reviewing the videotape.
ORIOLES 5, ROYALS 3: J.J. Hardy homered, Chris Tillman won his third straight start and host Baltimore took advantage of three errors by Kansas City to win.
It was Baltimore’s season-high fourth consecutive win.
RANGERS 4, BREWERS 1: Derek Holland allowed one run over seven shaky innings and visitor Texas benefited from two Milwaukee baserunning blunders.
RAYS 10, BLUE JAYS 4: Matt Moore won his sixth straight decision to start the season, Evan Longoria drove in three runs, and host Tampa Bay routed Toronto.
INTERLEAGUE PLAY
WHITE SOX 6, METS 3: Jake Peavy pitched three-hit ball in his return from a balky back, Alejandro De Aza had a leadoff homer and Chicago won at New York to split a two-game interleague series.
MARINERS 2, PIRATES 1: Felix Hernandez scattered six hits and Jesus Montero broke a tie with a solo home run in the seventh inning off A.J. Burnett to help Seattle beat host Pittsburgh.
Hernandez (5-2) struck out five and walked one to improve to 4-0 in his last five starts while shaving his ERA to 1.53.
NATIONALS 3, TIGERS 1: Bryce Harper hit a solo homer and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly, Jordan Zimmermann won his NL-leading sixth game and host Washington beat Detroit.
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