Travis Wood helped build the Chicago Cubs' seemingly imposing cushion. The lefty was a lot better with a bat in his hands.
"Your team puts up five in the first, you can't give it back," Wood said after the Cubs squandered a five-run first-inning cushion and lost 10-9 to the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night. "That's all on me."
Wood gave up six runs in five innings. He wouldn't blame his troubles in the first on running the bases after contributing an RBI single in the first.
"It was kind of nice with the long inning that I actually got up to hit and was able to get active and get the blood flow and stuff," he said. "It just comes down to that I didn't execute the pitch when need be."
Tony Cruz hit a tiebreaking two-run double to cap a four-run seventh inning for the Cardinals, who have won seven in a row. It was the first two RBIs of the year for Cruz.
"We worked at-bats, we got their starter out of the game," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It was not one of our better pitching nights, that's all."
Mark Reynolds started the comeback for the NL Central leaders, who trailed 5-0 in the first, with his fourth career grand slam in the bottom of the inning. The Cardinals improved to 19-6 for the franchise's best start since 1900.
"It's a great team over there," Wood said. "They're on a hot streak right now, they never give away at-bats and they never quit."
Miguel Socolovich (2-0) allowed a hit in a scoreless seventh and Seth Maness gave up a homer to rookie Addison Russell with two outs in the ninth before earning his second save. The Cardinals rested closer Trevor Rosenthal and other weary relievers after sweeping the Pirates in a weekend series totalling 35 innings with all three games decided in extra innings by a total score of 7-4.
Miguel Montero had two hits and three RBIs in the first for the Cubs, who jumped on Carlos Martinez. Anthony Rizzo homered and Kris Bryant had an infield hit and four walks for Chicago, which has lost four of five.
The Cardinals loaded the bases on two singles and a walk to start the seventh against Pedro Strop (0-2).
Kolten Wong's single off Zac Rosscup tied it ahead of the double just inside the third-base line through a drawn-in infield by Cruz, who caught on a rare day off for Yadier Molina. Wong homered in the 14th to beat the Pirates 3-2 on Sunday.
Martinez walked three of the first four hitters and was charged with seven runs in a season-low 3 2-3 innings. He entered among the league leaders with a 1.73 ERA and had won his three previous starts.
Starlin Castro and Chris Denorfia added RBIs in the first for the Cubs.
The 19-6 record by St. Louis tops 18-6 starts by the 1941 and 1944 teams.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Left-handed hitters are batting .343 against Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 5.23), and the Cardinals have five of them who start.
Cardinals: Lefty Tyler Lyons makes his first start of the season after being recalled from Triple-A Memphis. He's the second pitcher in two starts to take the spot of ace Adam Wainwright, out for the year with a torn left Achilles.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: Denorfia was 2 for 2 with an RBI before aggravating a left hamstring strain sliding in the third, and was replaced by Junior Lake. Maddon said Denorfia, batting .429 in 21 at-bats, will be placed on the 15-day disabled list. Denorfia said he landed awkwardly on second base and felt the injury accelerating on his way to third.
"It's very frustrating, I've never had a recurring muscle injury like this before," Denorfia said.
Cardinals: Matt Carpenter was 0 for 5 a day after being removed after seven innings Sunday due to dizziness, but leaving the ballpark feeling fine after replenishing fluids.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.