CHICAGO _ If the Cardinals are still going to make noise in the National League Central with so little time left in the season, they're going to need some help from another team.
The Cardinals' chance to pull the Chicago Cubs back to the pack has gone awry and the Cubs now hold a lead the Cardinals cannot overtake on their own.
Kyle Hendricks quieted the Cardinals _ and perhaps their playoff aspirations _ with 7 2/3 strong innings Saturday as he piloted the Cubs to a 4-1 victory at Wrigley Field. The Cubs opened up a five-game lead on the third-place Cardinals, and the two teams have only five head-to-head games remaining. The series concludes Sunday at Wrigley Field.
The Cardinals are again closer in the wild-card race than the division race.
In neither now do they control their own destiny.
Michael Wacha pitched 5 2/3 innings but was undone by subtle defensive mistakes and five walks. He also had little support. The Cardinals' lone run came long after Wacha had left the field when Matt Carpenter connected for a solo homer in the eighth inning. The home run was Carpenter's 20th of the season.
Two of the walks Wacha allowed turned into runs, and the Cubs added to their lead with Addison Russell's pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning. Russell came off the disabled list Saturday afternoon and had not homered since June 26. The pinch-hit homer was the first of his career.
Anthony Rizzo singled twice and scored twice.
Cubs closer Wade Davis struck out the first two batters he faced in the inning and then hit center fielder Dexter Fowler on the wrist with a pitch. Fowler took first base but was escorted the whole way by the team's head trainer. The game ended one batter later when Yadier Molina lined out to Russell at shortstop.
