Coverage of today's Cards and Cubs game can be heard on Newstalk 97.3 WTIM beginning at 2:30pm.

Chicago,  IL (SportsNetwork.com)  - Ryan Sweeney went 2-for-4 with a three-run 
home  run and four RBI as  the Chicago Cubs  hung  on to  beat  the St.  Louis 
Cardinals, 7-6, in the opener of a three-game set. 

Luis Valbuena smacked a two-run shot and crossed the plate three times for the 
Cubs, who handed the Cardinals their fourth straight loss. 

Kevin Siegrist (1-2) gave up the tie-breaking two-run homer to Valbuena in the 
seventh and was tagged with the loss. 

"He  was the right  guy, he just couldn't get it done," Cardinals manager Mike 
Matheny said of Siegrist. 

Justin  Grimm (3-2)  struck out two in  a scoreless seventh inning to earn the 
win. 

Cardinals starter Joe Kelly only lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits and 
five  runs. 

Chicago  starter Travis Wood, who hasn't recorded a win since June 15, allowed 
seven hits and five  runs -- two earned -- in five innings of work. 

"I really wanted to go deep in the game," Wood said. "I wasn't really throwing 
pitches all over the place. They fouled off a lot of pitches today and made me 
work.  I was only able to go five, but luckily I was able to keep it close and 
we were able to pull it out." 

The Cubs had a sloppy first inning in the field. Arismendy Alcantara threw the 
ball  over Starlin  Castro's head at second on a double play attempt, allowing 
Matt  Carpenter to score. Chris Coghlan then had trouble fielding a line drive 
hit into left by Jon Jay, plating Matt Holliday and Matt Adams. 

Sweeney's  homer tied  the game at three apiece in the second. Valbuena walked 
and  Welington  Castillo singled before Sweeney  hit one over the ivy in left- 
center. 

Sweeney  delivered  again an inning  later. With  runners on first and second, 
he singled to left to score Valbuena and put the Cubs up 4-3. 

Wood  helped himself out  and stretched Chicago's lead to two runs with a solo 
homer in the fourth. 

The  back-and-forth tussle continued in the fifth. Carpenter and Holliday each 
hit solo home runs to tie the game at 5-5. 

The  Cardinals took  the lead  in the  sixth. Mark  Ellis reached  first on  a 
fielder's  choice,  then moved  to second  after a  passed ball. Oscar Taveras 
came in to pinch-hit and hit a single to left to push Ellis across. 

After  Anthony  Rizzo was hit by  a pitch to  start the bottom of the seventh, 
Valbuena  hit a  home run -- the fifth  of the game -- putting the Cubs ahead, 
7-6. 

The Cubs loaded the bases in the eighth, but were unable to extend their lead. 

Hector Rondon allowed one hit in the ninth for his 12th save of the season. 

                                   Game Notes 

The  Cardinals were  2-for-12 with runners in scoring position, while the Cubs 
were 2-for-6 ... All three of Chicago's runs in the first inning were unearned 
...  Wood now has three home runs on the season ... Rizzo hit a single in  the 
third  inning to extend his  hitting streak to  10 games ... The season series 
between the Cubs and Cardinals is now tied at five games apiece.