Maps » Semien, 23, has hit 36 home runs with an .828 OPS and 36 stolen

CHICAGO -- Yadier Molina had a simple goal for his ninth-inning at-bat with the bases loaded and the score tied on Sunday. "I was looking not to strike out," he said. After fouling off some tough two-strike pitches, Molina hit a ground-ball single up the middle to drive in two runs and the St. Louis Cardinals snapped out of an offensive funk with a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs. "I got a little lucky that they were playing me to pull," Molina said. "It was a good at-bat. I was able to put the ball in play and good things happened." The defending National League champions had lost four of five to fall a game below .500. The Cardinals scored all their runs with two outs. Molina, moved into the No. 2 spot to jump start the lineup, was 0 for 4 before coming through in the ninth. But it was a wild pitch in the seventh inning that allowed the Cubs to tie the score at 3 that had Molina more frustrated. The pitch from reliever Carlos Martinez was in the dirt and trickled through Molinas legs, allowing Luis Valbuena to score. "I was there," Molina said. "I dont know. Its one of those things. I was ready for it and the ball still goes through my legs." Kevin Siegrist (1-1) got the win in relief, while Trevor Rosenthal picked up his eighth save in as many opportunities despite a scare in the ninth inning. Hector Randon (0-1) took the loss for the Cubs, who were attempting to win four straight games for the first time since July. While Cardinals manager Mike Matheny had looked for Molina, one of his hottest hitters, to get the offence going, it was a couple of struggling batters at the bottom of the lineup that got things started early. With two outs in the second inning and Jhonny Peralta on first base, Randal Grichuk drilled a triple into the right-centre field gap for a 1-0 lead. Mark Ellis, who went 3 for 4, followed with a double to left-centre to make it 2-0. Both Grichuk (.167) and Ellis (.143) entered hitting well below .200. St. Louis stretched the lead to 3-0 in the third as Matt Adams doubled home Matt Holiday. The Cubs pulled within 3-2 in the fourth with some clutch two-out hitting. With one out, Ryan Kalish singled and John Baker walked. After a groundout moved the runners to second and third, Cubs starter Jason Hammel singled to right to drive in both. Molinas go-ahead single to centre came on the sixth pitch of the at-bat from Randon. "I thought I made a good pitch today, but something happened," Randon said. Molina seemed more relieved that the wild pitch wasnt a factor than he drove in the game-deciding runs. "(Molina) does a good job of not wearing his emotions and how frustrating that is for him," Matheny said. "Its hard to count the number of balls he keeps in front of him, the number of runs he saves. Its something we dont take for granted." Valbuena doubled in a run with two outs in the ninth to make it 5-4, but Rosenthal got Anthony Rizzo to ground out to end the game. "Guys kept grinding it out," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "We just fell a little short." NOTES: The ESPN broadcast team of Dan Shulman and John Kruk worked from the bleachers. ... While making a rehab start Sunday with Double A Springfield, LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder) was hit by a pitch on the left elbow and left after two innings and 28 pitches. "I think they went in and took precautionary X-rays," Matheny said. "I havent heard anything back yet." ... In the same game, RHP Jason Motte threw a scoreless inning, striking out three, in his first rehab outing. ... Rizzo entered with a .429 on-base percentage, which was fifth-best in the National League. ... The Cards open a series in Atlanta on Monday, with RHP Shelby Miller (3-2) facing RHP Aaron Harang, while the Cubs host the crosstown White Sox with RHP Jeff Samardzija (0-3) going up against LHP Jose Quintana (1-2). Cheap Fake NBA Jerseys . The senior threw for 319 yards and no interceptions in his final college game, leading No. Discount Fake NBA Jerseys .C. -- Duke sophomore Rodney Hood is entering the NBA draft. http://www.fakenbajerseys.com/ . Old times for a defence that has looked just plain old recently? "No," safety Ryan Clark said. "We used to be much better than that. Fake NBA Jerseys Online .Y. - Referee Ed Hochuli referred to replay official Tom Sifferman by his nickname Jungle Boy, which was heard on the in-stadium microphone during the Arizona Cardinals-Carolina Panthers NFC wild-card game Saturday. Fake NBA Jerseys 2019 . After a 10-game skid, winning sure feels good. Atlantas third error in the last two innings allowed Jackie Bradley Jr. It didnt take long for the Toronto Blue Jays season to feel like it was beginning to unravel. When leadoff hitter Jose Reyes pulled up as he neared first base on his first inning flyout, the doubt creeped in. By the bottom of the inning, when Reyes had been replaced by Ryan Goins, panic was in full effect. Its not like this is unexpected. Reyes missed 69 games last season, has played more than 140 games once in the past five seasons, and is now 30-years-old. As players get older, they get hurt more often and take longer to recover. This is a thing that happens. Even taking all those factors into consideration, it was extra-depressing for Jays fans, who didnt need any additional reasons to be pessimistic about the 2014 season. With Reyes nursing his hamstring injury, look for Goins and Maicer Izturis to handle the middle infield spots. The Jays have also called up 28-year-old utility man Jonathan Diaz, who has a .230 batting average with 14 home runs in eight minor league seasons. Reyes is not the only notable player hurt. Heres an update on some of the more significant players injured as the season gets underway: Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Los Angeles - The best pitcher on the planet has been bothered by a back injury, even though he had a stellar first start (1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 6 2/3 IP) in Australia, and it will likely keep him out at least a couple of starts. The Dodgers dont need a fifth starter until April 19, so they can make do, and will have veteran Josh Beckett set to join the rotation in the meantime. Yu Darvish, RHP, Texas - The Rangers ace is coming back from neck tightness and may be ready to join the rotation next week. The Rangers rotation could really use Darvish, and possibly Colby Lewis, as Lewis attempts to come back from a surgically-repaired hip. Matt Kemp, CF, Los Angeles - The 29-year-old who has missed 145 games in the past two seasons, Kemp says hes ready to return as soon as possible. He is recovering from ankle surgery and is eligible to come off the DL on April 4; in the meantime, Andre Ethier will get the playing time in centre for the Dodgers. Cole Hamels, LHP, Philadelphia - Shoulder tendinitis caused Hamels trouble early in spring training and hes behind as a result, but is making progress now. He still has some minor-league starts to work through as he rehabs, and could return as soon as late April. Manny Machado, 3B, Baltimore - The rising star is still recovering from October knee surgery and, considering he is already the best fielding third baseman on the planet, there will be some letdown until he returns which, according to the Baltimore Sun, is apparently sometime in late April. While Machado is out, Ryan Flaherty, who has 16 home runs and a .653 OPS in 163 career games, starts at third for the Orioles. Hisashi Iwakuma, RHP, Seattle - Out with a torn tendon in his middle finger, Iwakuma has been cleared to resume throwing and will begin building strength in his arm to get where he needs to be as a starter. Hes likely to miss the first month of the season as he rehabs. Taijuan Walker, RHP, Seattle - A shoulder impingement has halted the progress of the Mariners top pitching prospect, but has resumed throwing and may only miss the first few weeks of the season. With Iwakuma and Walker out, LHP Roenis Elias and veteran RHP Chris Young have landed a couple of rotation spots to start the year. Mat Latos, RHP, Cincinnati - Still recovering from knee surgery, Latos doesnt seem that far away, as hes set to make a rehab start in Double-A this week. If that means he misses a couple starts for the Reds before coming off the DL in mid-April, thats not the end of the world. Jhoulys Chacin, RHP, Colorado - Effectively, the ace of the Rockies staff, is coming back from a shoulder strain, but is expected to miss the first month of the season. With Chacin out, Franklin Morales is one of the pitchers that will get a turn in the rotation. Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Cincinnati - After taking a line drive off the head, Chapman is making progress and appears to be on track to recover, though he has yet to be cleared to resume throwing, that could come in the next couple weeks. In the meantime, with Jonathan Broxton also on the DL, RHP J.J. Hoover is the leading candidate for saves in the Cincinnati bullpen. Michael Bourn, CF, Cleveland - A hamstring strain has slowed the speedy outfielder who is not expected to be ready, when hes eligible, to come off the DL Friday. In the meantime, there is an opportunnity for Nyjer Morgan to handle centre field while Bourn is out.dddddddddddd Morgan, 33, had a .795 OPS with only three stolen bases in Japan last season. Shane Victorino, RF, Boston - The 33-year-old Flyin Hawaiian has been grounded by a hamstring strain, leaving room for Jackie Bradley Jr. to remain in Boston, though Daniel Nava is the top candidate to handle right field in Victorinos absence, with Mike Carp and Jonny Gomes also available for corner outfield work. Bradley has more versatility in that his skills can translate to any of the three outfield spots. Jurickson Profar, 2B, Texas - One of the top young players in baseball, Profar could be out up to three months with a muscle tear in his shoulder. Journeymen Josh Wilson and Donnie Murphy can handle second base in Profars absence. Murphy showed a little pop last season, hitting 11 home runs with an .849 OPS in 163 plate appearances for the Cubs, but neither has much of an offensive track record. Jonathon Niese, LHP, N.Y. Mets - While Niese was bothered by some elbow inflammation in the spring, and was put on the DL, all signs point to his returning April 6 for his first start of the year. Derek Holland, LHP, Texas - Coming off microfracture knee surgery, Holland is making progress, but it will likely be the second half of the season before hes ready to return. A.J. Griffin, RHP, Oakland - Flexor tendinitis in his elbow puts Griffin on the shelf to start the year and, combined with the season-ending injury to Jarrod Parker, is a big hit to the As rotation. Jesse Chavez and Tommy Milone are slated to hold down the last couple spots on the Oakland starting staff. Josh Johnson, RHP, San Diego - What? Josh Johnson is injured, you say? The shock. Hes expected to return sometime in May from a strained forearm and isnt a bad sleeper as a reclamation project following his disastrous 2013 season in Toronto. While Johnson is out, LHP Robbie Erlin has a spot in the Padres rotation. Wilson Ramos, C, Washington - Suffered an injured hand in the first game of the year, but x-rays were negative, so it may not be broken, which would obviously be good news. For as long as Ramos is out, Jose Lobaton is next in line to handle catching duties for the Nationals. Marco Scutaro, 2B, San Francisco - With a back injury basically wiping out Scutaros spring, he appears to be some distance from returning to the field. One-time touted prospect, now utility infielder Joaquin Arias will see the bulk of the work at second while Scutaro remains sidelined. Carlos Quentin, LF, San Diego - A knee injury will keep Quentin on the DL to start the year, and beyond the minimum 15 days. Veterans Chris Denorfia and Seth Smith could be the best bets to play in Quentins absence. Bobby Parnell, RHP, N.Y. Mets - On the shelf due to a partial torn ligament in his elbow, Parnell may be headed for surgery and that leaves the closers role open. First up is 36-year-old veteran Jose Valverde, who has 286 career saves, but flamed out with the Tigers last season, allowing six home runs in 19 1/3 innings to lose the job. Gordon Beckham, 2B, Chicago White Sox - With an oblique injury limiting Beckham, though possibly not for long, Marcus Semien gets the starts at second base for the White Sox. Semien, 23, has hit 36 home runs with an .828 OPS and 36 stolen bases in three minor-league seasons. Geovany Soto, C, Texas - A torn meniscus could keep Soto out for three months, which gives J.P. Arencibia an opportunity to rebound from a tough 2013 season, but that playing time is no guarantee either. Robinson Chirinos could challenge for playing time, especially if Arencibias defence is a problem. Andy Dirks, LF, Detroit - Slated to miss at least the first two months as he recovers from back surgery, Dirks is replaced by Rajai Davis in left field for the Tigers. Davis has his flaws, but from 2009 through 2013, his 216 stolen bases ranks second, behind only Michael Bourn. Cameron Maybin, CF, San Diego - A ruptured biceps tendon is going to cost Maybin the first couple months of the season and hes coming off a season during which he played just 14 games because of wrist and knee injuries. Alexi Amarista and Will Venable have started in centre field this year with Maybin out. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '