CHICAGO — It was a weekend to remember for Cardinals’ catcher Pedro Pagés.
After hitting his first career home run in his first game at Wrigley Field on Friday, Pagés provided all of the runs for the Cardinals on Sunday with another home run, this time a two-run shot.
The home run in the second inning came on Father’s Day, with his father Edgar and other family members in the stands.
Miles Mikolas and three relievers made the lead stand up as the Cardinals won for the second time in the series and once again reached the .500 mark for the season with a 35-35 record.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: Brandon Crawford doubled in front of Pagés’ home run as he got the start at shortstop with Masyn Winn serving as the DH. Crawford also walked twice but had to leave the game in the ninth after having cramps in his hamstring while batting … The Cardinals had only one runner reach second base after Pagés’ home run, when Nolan Arenado singled in the sixth and advanced on a walk to Crawford. Pagés then flew out to end the inning … Paul Goldschmidt was the only Cardinal with a two-hit day.
On the mound: Mikolas blanked the Cubs on just three hits through the first six innings. All of the hits came in the fourth when the Cubs loaded the bases, but Mikolas retired Nico Hoener on a ground ball to end the threat … Mikolas left after allowing a one-out double to Ian Happ in the seventh, and Happ later scored on Michael Busch’s single off Ryan Fernandez … Andrew Kittredge pitched around a leadoff walk in the eighth, stranding the would-be tying run at third … In the ninth, Helsley walked the leadoff hitter and also issued another walk with two outs before pinch-hitter Patrick Wisdom flew out to wall in left to end the game.
Key stat: The save was the 24th of the season for Helsley, the most in the majors. He has earned a save in each of his last 24 opportunities, tying Alex Reyes for the longest streak in franchise history. Reyes had his streak over a five-year span between 2016 and 2021.
Worth noting: Before the game the Cardinals placed Kyle Gibson on the bereavement list after a death in his family. Ryan Loutos was recalled from Memphis. Gibson is still scheduled to start on Wednesday in Miami … Willson Contreras could begin a minor-league rehab assignment as early as Tuesday as he works his way back from the broken arm he suffered on May 7, most likely with Memphis … Tommy Edman, out all season after last fall’s surgery on his right wrist, is moving his rehab work to the Cardinals’ spring training facility in Jupiter beginning this week, which will allow him to get more at-bats against live pitching … Steven Matz made his third rehab start for Springfield on Sunday and worked three perfect innings, striking out five. He threw 35 pitches after originally being projected to throw around 50 pitches in the game.
Looking ahead: The Cardinals open a three-game series against the Marlins on Monday in Miami. Sonny Gray is the scheduled starter.