Wainwright’s Bat Contributes to 15th Win as Cards Whip Braves

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Adam Wainwright earned his NL-leading 15th win with his fifth complete game and had a key sacrifice fly to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves last night. Matt Holliday's 432-foot home run off Kris Medlen (10-12) snapped a sixth-inning tie for St. Louis, which took the first two games of a four-game set against the NL East leaders.

Cardinals and Braves Saturday on KHMO, airtime 5:20 for the pregame.

UNDATED (AP) - The Pittsburgh Pirates still top the NL Central by a game over St. Louis after the Bucs and Cardinals won Friday. Clint Barmes (BAHR'-mehs) hit a three-run home run and Charlie Morton pitched eight strong innings in the Pirates' 3-1 verdict over the Giants in San Francisco. Adam Wainwright tossed his fifth complete game and earned his league-leading 15th win by tossing a six-hitter in the Cardinals' 3-1 triumph against Atlanta.

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Right-hander Jake Westbrook, who has struggled for several starts, is being placed on the 15-day disabled list by the St. Louis Cardinals because of a lower back strain. Rookie right-hander Carlos Martinez was recalled from Triple-A Memphis and could take Westbrook's spot in the rotation.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Jayson Werth hit a two-run homer, Bryce Harper drove in three runs and the Washington Nationals rallied from a six-run hole before holding off the Kansas City Royals for an 11-10 victory last night.

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Will Venable had three hits and three RBIs, including a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning, and the San Diego Padres rallied to beat the Chicago Cubs 8-6 last night. Nate Schierholtz hit a three-run homer in Chicago's six-run first inning, but that was all the scoring for the Cubs.

CHICAGO (AP) - Ian Kinsler raced around the bases for a bizarre inside-the-park homer and Adam Rosales had a conventional two-run shot, helping the Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 11-5 last night.

UNDATED (AP) - Brewers players are glad that Ryan Braun has acknowledged he took performance-enhancing substances that resulted in his 65-game suspension by Major League Baseball. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy (LOO'croy) calls it " a good first step on the road to redemption," and reliever John Axford says he's willing to forgive Braun and move on. Axford thinks Braun will be accepted in the clubhouse when he returns.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully has announced that he'll be back behind the mike with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a record 65th season in 2014. Scully said in a statement that he loves what the new ownership group has brought to the Dodgers and the energy that fans are creating at Dodger Stadium. Scully began his professional baseball broadcasting career in 1950 with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Jay Cutler led five first-half scoring drives, Matt Forte gained 109 yards from scrimmage and the Chicago Bears beat the Oakland Raiders in the final dress rehearsal for the regular season with a 34-26 victory last night. Cutler and Forte connected on a 32-yard touchdown pass, former Raiders running back Michael Bush added a pair of touchdown runs and Alshon Jeffery caught seven passes for 77 yards as the Bears (2-1) broke out to a 27-0 lead in the first half.