Cubs blank Cardinals in postseason tune-up game

Seiya Suzuki homered once again for the Chicago Cubs, who ended the regular season with a 2-0 victory Sunday over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

Suzuki deposited a John King (2-1) curveball over the left field wall to lead off the Cubs' fifth. The right fielder went deep in his fourth straight game, hitting five in that span. Prior to the streak, the 31-year-old last hit a homer on Aug. 6.

Javier Assad (4-1) struck out a season-high six Cardinals over 5 1/3 innings. He won for the fourth time in his last five appearances by holding St. Louis (78-84) to three hits and a walk.

Jordan Wicks pitched the final three innings. He struck out four and allowed three hits for his first career save.

Moises Ballesteros added an RBI single in the seventh to secure the three-game sweep for the Cubs (92-70).

Kyle Leahy allowed just a single in his first career start with one strikeout over three innings. King pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing the Suzuki solo homer and a single with two strikeouts.

Michael Soroka, whom the Cubs acquired at the trade deadline from the Washington Nationals, pitched in relief for the fifth time in two weeks after missing nearly six weeks with a right shoulder strain and retired both batters he faced.

Each team had six hits. Thomas Saggese went 2-for-4, and Victor Scott II finished 2-for-3 for St. Louis. Jimmy Crooks added a triple in the loss.

The Cubs, who will open the MLB playoffs Tuesday at home against the San Diego Padres in the best-of-three National League wild-card series, used Game 162 as a tune-up of sorts.

Ian Happ left the game in the top of the fifth, and Dansby Swanson departed a half-inning later when Justin Turner pinch-hit for the shortstop. Michael Busch came out in the seventh.

Chicago is in the postseason for the first time in a 162-game season since the Cubs played in the NL wild-card game in 2018. 92 wins are the team's most in a season since winning 95 seven years ago.

The Cardinals finished losing four straight game, wrapping up just their third losing season since 2007.