Chicago Cubs Help Wild Card Chances By Blasting Pirates

The Chicago Cubs unloaded a weekend’s worth of frustrations on the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

The Cubs blasted the Pirates, 14-1, on Tuesday, the first game of a three-game series in which the Cubs (79-72) hope to get a little separation between themselves and the rest of the Wild Card field.

Chicago got precious little, but it will take what it can get. The Arizona Diamondbacks won to remain 0.5 games ahead of Chicago for the second Wild Card spot. The Miami Marlins won to remain 0.5 games behind Chicago for the final Wild Card spot.

The Cubs did trim their magic number for a Wild Card berth by a game.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee beat St. Louis to continue its charge toward the NL Central title. The win trimmed the Brewers’ magic number to six.

Below is an update on the race, with the current standings, magic numbers to clinch the NL Central and a Wild Card berth, along with the remaining schedules for the teams that are still in the race.

The NL Central Race as of Sept. 20

Tuesday’s Results

Milwaukee 7, St. Louis 3

Chicago Cubs 14, Pittsburgh 1

Standings

Milwaukee (85-66): — (Magic Number to clinch NL Central: 6)

Chicago Cubs (79-72): 6.0 GB

What’s Left?

Milwaukee (11): Wednesday-Thursday: at St. Louis (2); Friday-Sunday: at Miami (3); Sept. 26-28: vs. St. Louis (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Chicago Cubs (3)

Chicago Cubs (11): Wednesday-Thursday: vs. Pittsburgh (2); Friday-Sunday: vs. Colorado (3); Sept. 26-28: at Atlanta (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Milwaukee (3)

The NL Wild Card Race as of Sept. 20

Tuesday’s Results

Atlanta 9, Philadelphia 3

Minnesota 7, Cincinnati 0

Miami 4, New York Mets 3

Chicago Cubs 14, Pittsburgh 1

Arizona 8, San Francisco 4

Standings

(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)

Philadelphia (82-69): +3.0 Games (Magic Number to clinch: 8)

Arizona (80-72): — +0.5 Games (Magic Number to clinch: 11)

Chicago Cubs (79-72): — (Magic Number to clinch: 11)

Miami (79-73): — 0.5 GB

Cincinnati (79-74): — 1.0 GB

San Francisco (76-75): — 3.0 GB

What’s Left?

Philadelphia (11): Wednesday: at Atlanta (1); Thursday-Sunday: vs. New York Mets (4); Sept. 26-28: vs. Pittsburgh (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at New York Mets (3)

Chicago Cubs (11): Wednesday-Thursday: vs. Pittsburgh (2); Friday-Sunday: vs. Colorado (3); Sept. 26-28: at Atlanta (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Milwaukee (3)

Arizona (10): Wednesday: vs. San Francisco (1); Friday-Sunday: at New York Yankees (3); Sept. 25-27: at Chicago White Sox (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Houston (3)

Cincinnati (9): Wednesday: vs. Minnesota (1); Friday-Sunday: vs. Pittsburgh (3); Sept. 26-27: at Cleveland (2); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at St. Louis (3)

Miami (10): Wednesday: vs. New York Mets (1); Friday-Sunday: vs. Milwaukee (3); Sept. 26-28: at New York Mets (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Pittsburgh (3)

San Francisco (11): Wednesday: at Arizona (1); Thursday-Sunday: at Los Angeles Dodgers (4); Sept. 25-27: vs. San Diego (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (3)