The Cardinals Lost Their 74th Game

Jon Lester turned in a scoreless start Sunday and David Ross homered as the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-1.

Lester pitched 6 2/3 innings of shutout ball with seven strikeouts for his 19th win of the season. The lefty allowed three hits and one walk over 96 pitches.

Chicago’s offense got started with Ross’s solo blast in the fifth inning, his 10th homer of the season. (Manager Joe Maddon pulled Ross in a seventh-inning mound visit so the catcher could receive a standing ovation from the crowd.) The Cubs built a 2-0 lead in the sixth with Addison Russell’s RBI double, and only allowed one St. Louis run, in the eighth. Closer Aroldis Chapman had little trouble as he recorded his 36th save of the season.

The Cardinals are 81-74. There’s always the next game!