Final: Cubs 10, Cardinals 5

Final (Cubs 10, Cardinals 5)

Jorge De La Rosa gets it done and the Cubs are set for a one-game playoff with Milwaukee for the NL Central title.

Eighth inning (Cubs 10, Cardinals 5)

Jaime Garcia the eighth Cubs pitcher today. Only three were on the roster at the start of the season. After a single and a walk, Garcia gets Tyler O’Neill to fly to deeeeep right field in the well but Heyward makes the play.

To the ninth they go. De La Rosa in.

Seventh inning (Cubs 10, Cardinals 5)

How much money of productivity are Chicago businesses going to lose tomorrow? I’m guessing a lot.

Unrelated, the White Sox just lost their 100th game. If they end up like the Cubs or Astros did after 100-loss seasons, they won’t complain.

The Cardinals loaded the bases with three singles against Brandon Kintzler, who was lifted for Steve Cishek. On a 3-2 count, Cishek hit Jairo Munoz to make it 10-5 but struck out Francisco Pena. Six outs from a one-game playoff, as the Brewers routed Detroit 11-0.

Sixth inning (Cubs 10, Cardinals 4)

The Mills magic might have worn off. Wisdom doubles and then Bader walks, ending Mills’ day. Carl Edwards Jr. in. And he gives up a two-run single to Yairo Munoz. Can the Cubs do anything if Edwards is not near his best? As for that, Edwards then got a Francisco Pena double play but then walked a batter to end a less than awesome outing. Randy Rosario then gets a groundout from Matt Carpenter to end the sixth.

8-0 Brewers. If the Cubs are going to win the division, they’ll need a Game 163 tomorrow.

Jeez, the Cardinal Way doesn’t mean what it used to. Cubs take a 9-4 lead on an error on a Kris Bryant grounder. Whatever. Weird play. Then another run on an Albert Almora infield single.

Fifth inning (Cubs 8, Cardinals 2)

Our guy Steve Greenberg is in Milwaukee. Follow him @SLGreenberg if you don’t already for some reason.

In the biggest game of the year, Alec Mills comes through. Baseball, man. Baseball.

In the bottom of the inning, Baez leads off with a single and gets to third on another Rizzo double. That’s before a two-run double by Kris Bryant. 6-2 Cubs. And now Contreras goes yard for a two-run HR and an 8-2 Cubs lead. It went off the top of the basket, and I think that’s what Mike Shildt is arguing about.

BTW, if scores hold, it looks like it’ll be Cubs-Brewers at noon tomorrow. Rockies-Dodgers would be the late game at 3:05.

Fourth inning (Cubs 4, Cardinals 2)

FWIW, the Cubs’ 94 wins would have been good for an NL Central title eight times in this century. Impress your friends with that.

Alec Mills in the game and he gets to Ks to move through the top of the fourth. Does the use of Alec Mills and Allen Webster say what Joe Maddon really thinks about the importance of today’s game? Cubs go quietly in the fourth.

Third inning (Cubs 4, Cardinals 2)

Things are happening at Wrigley.

After a one-out double off the wall by Paul DeJong, Joe Maddon yanks Mike Montgomery for Allen Webster. Game 7, 2016, this isn’t. But Webster got out of trouble to keep St. Louis up 2-0. The Cubs ballboy and the Cards’ bat boy raced for a Daniel Murphy foul ball. The Cubs won the race. Yay? Two-out double by Murphy and then Ben Zobrist triples down the line, then scores on a Jack Flaherty wild pitch. Anthony Rizzo then drives in Baez for a 3-2 Cubs lead and his 100th RBI of the season. Heyward then keeps it going with an RBI single of his own for a 4-2 edge. This place is hopping.

BTW, Brewers up 3-0 through 4.

Second inning (Cardinals 2, Cubs 0)

In case you’ve been living under a rock, here’s what today means for the Cubs. If they and the Brewers have the same result today, there will be a one-game playoff here Monday to decide the NL Central title and home-field through the NL playoffs. Loser hosts the wild-card game Tuesday.

Big cheer when the Bears score is shown. Biggest cheer of the day here? Nothing for either team in the second.

First inning (Cardinals 2, Cubs 0)

That could have gone much better for the Cubs.

St. Louis scored twice in the top of the first on singles by Paul DeJong and Patrick Wisdom. Jason Heyward let Wisdom’s ball get past him in center, allowing Tyler O’Neill to score from first. Then in the bottom of the inning, Javy Baez was thrown out at home trying to score from second on an Anthony Rizzo single to right. Jose Martinez threw Baez out after blowing through a stop sign, and the Cubs ended the inning scoreless. Oh, Milwaukee’s up 2-0.