Carpenter’s single in the 10th lifts Cardinals past Cubs 2-1

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Matt Carpenter hit a game-ending single against an unusual defensive alignment in the 10th inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Friday night.

The Cardinals won back-to-back games for the first time since April 30-May 1 and avoided the worst winning percentage for May in franchise history by going 9-18 (.333). The worst May was in 1980 when St. Louis went 8-18 (.308).

Kolten Wong helped set up Carpenter’s clutch swing with a one-out double off Mike Montgomery (1-1) for the team’s lone extra-base hit. Dillon Maples then came in and walked Harrison Bader and Jedd Gyorko to load the bases.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon brought in Steve Cishek to face Carpenter, and put four players on the right side of the infield. But Carpenter drove in Wong with a fly ball that found the grass in the left field corner.