CHICAGO-Jake Arrieta struck out 10 in seven innings and the Chicago Cubs beat the sloppy St. Louis Cardinals, 5-0, Friday night for their 98th victory, the most since they last played in the World Series in 1945.
Arrieta (18-7) allowed five hits and walked one, Anthony Rizzo had three hits and Ben Zobrist drove in two runs as the Cubs tied a team record with their 56th home win. They moved within one victory or one Washington loss of clinching home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.
Chicago scored four runs in the first inning off Mike Leake (9-11) and dropped the Cardinals a game behind the Mets and Giants for the two NL wild-card berths.
Pedro Strop came off the disabled list to work the eighth, and Travis Wood and Carl Edwards Jr. finished the five-hitter.
Braves 3, Marlins 2
MIAMI-Adonis Garcia hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning, and the Braves beat Miami for their season-high seventh straight win
Freddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to 27 games with a sixth-inning double. Atlanta's winning streak is its longest since it won nine in a row from June 27-July 5, 2014.
Miami lost for the fifth time in eight games. The Marlins began the night five games back for the NL's second wild card.
With the score 2-2, Emilio Bonifacio singled with one out off A.J. Ramos, stole his first base this season, took third on catcher J.T. Realmuto's throwing error and came home on Garcia's single to center.
Tigers 8, Royals 3
DETROIT-Michael Fulmer pitched seven sharp innings for his first win in over a month and the Detroit Tigers homered three times in an 8-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals
on Friday night.
Justin Upton, Victor Martinez and Cameron Maybin went deep for the Tigers, who won their fifth game in a row while chasing a postseason spot in the American League.
Fulmer (11-7) allowed a run and eight hits, striking out nine with no walks. It was the first victory since Aug. 14 for Fulmer, who emerged around midseason as a Rookie of the Year candidate but is now having to fight off a torrid challenge from Gary Sanchez of the New York Yankees.
Danny Duffy (12-3) allowed six runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out four.