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ST. LOUIS -- Kyle Hendricks was so good Monday night he even surprised himself.The right-hander took a no-hitter into the ninth inning before giving up Jeremy Hazelbakers leadoff home run, and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 to close in on the NL Central crown.I never thought Id get that close to one, Hendricks said. A guy who throws to contact and doesnt throw hard, you dont think about it. You can run into one of those special days and you think, why not?My pregame bullpen was probably the worst Ive had all year. Hopefully it clicks once the game starts, and it did.All the way until the ninth inning.Hazelbaker drove an 0-2 pitch into the right-field stands for his 12th homer before Hendricks (15-7), the major league ERA leader at 2.03, was relieved by Aroldis Chapman.If youre going to give it up, at least its that way and not a cheap hit, Hendricks said. I just left the ball up and he got it. It was just a changeup and I wanted to throw it in the dirt and get him to chase.Hazelbaker was looking for a changeup.I wasnt surprised by it, he said. Hed been throwing that pitch all night. It was a good pitch he threw me. I was able to handle it like I wanted to.Ben Zobrist and Dexter Fowler homered for the Cubs, who lowered their magic number to three for clinching the division crown. They lead the second-place Cardinals by 17 games and can wrap up the NL Central with a three-game sweep in St. Louis.The Cardinals remained a half-game behind the Mets for the leagues second wild card. New York lost 8-1 at Washington.Soon after Hazelbakers shot cleared the fence, teammates went to the mound to talk to Hendricks -- leading to an animated argument between Cubs manager Joe Maddon and plate umpire Joe West.Maddon was ejected for the third time this season, and Chapman entered to finish the one-hitter. He got three outs for his 14th save with Chicago, and is 34 for 37 overall this year with the Cubs and Yankees.After the pitching change, Maddon argued some more with West before leaving.It was a misinterpretation there, Maddon said. We needed more time there. I needed the catcher to go to the mound. We were denied. I made my stand.I truly believe I was proper in that, but this is not about that. This is Kyles night.Hendricks, who threw 96 pitches, struck out seven and walked two.Pretty special night all around, he said. It was fun, man.It was the fourth no-hit bid broken up in the ninth inning this season. Cubs teammate Jake Arrieta tossed the lone no-hitter in the majors this year, winning 16-0 at Cincinnati on April 21.Hendricks got some help from his defense, especially in the sixth.Cubs shortstop Addison Russell, deep in the hole, went to his knees on the outfield grass for a sliding stop of Jhonny Peraltas sharp grounder and made a strong throw to first.Right fielder Jason Heyward then reached into the stands to catch Hazelbakers foul fly, practically wrestling with a fan in a Cardinals jersey for the ball.He was unbelievably great, Maddon said about Hendricks. Unfortunately, he didnt get the no-hitter. They didnt have good swings against him all night. He was in charge the entire game. It was a spectacular performance. Kyle was the star.Hendricks control made him tough to hit, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.He was pushing the corners all day long and hes been doing that most of the season and didnt give us a whole lot, Matheny said.Mike Leake (9-10) pitched six innings before being lifted for a pinch hitter. Leake, making his second start since a stint on the disabled list due to shingles, allowed six hits and four runs (three earned).Anthony Rizzo had an RBI single for the Cubs.The last time the Cubs won a division title was 2008. They did it by beating St. Louis on Sept. 20 at Wrigley Field.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (right shoulder) threw batting practice to Brayan Pena, Jose Martinez and Alberto Rosario. Wacha said he hopes to come off the disabled list Wednesday. ... LF Matt Holliday took batting practice on the field for the first time since breaking his right thumb Aug. 11 against the Cubs. ... Cardinals closer Seung Hwan Oh, who has 17 saves and a 1.87 ERA, was unavailable Saturday and Sunday against Milwaukee because of a sore groin. Speaking through translator Eugene Koo, the reliever said he would not be available Monday but should be Tuesday.UP NEXTCardinals: LHP Jaime Garcia (10-12, 4.58 ERA) makes his 29th start of the season Tuesday night, his most since 2011 when he made 32. He has started seven games against the Cubs and is 3-2 with a 2.27 ERA.Cubs: RHP Jason Hammel (14-8, 3.50) allowed nine runs -- eight earned -- and a career-high 13 hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 12-5 loss at Milwaukee last time out. He is 4-4 with a 4.80 ERA in 10 starts against the Cardinals. Jason Kidd Mavericks Jersey . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Dirk Nowitzki Jersey . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. http://www.mavericksteamofficial.info/dirk-nowitzki-mavericks-jersey/ . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. Kostas Antetokounmpo Jersey . -- Sergey Tolchinksy scored his second goal of the game 3:56 into overtime as the Sault Ste. Steve Nash Mavericks Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. NEW YORK -- Someday, maybe when he turns 50 or 60 or even 70, Bartolo Colon might get knocked off the mound.In the meantime, hes in total control.Colon pitched three-hit ball for seven sharp innings and the New York Mets overcame another home run by Jedd Gyorko to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 Tuesday night for a doubleheader split.Just throwing it straight. It was going where I wanted it, the 43-year-old Colon said through a translator.Gyorko homered in both ends and has connected seven times in nine games. His two-run shot helped St. Louis win the opener 3-2.Anytime you can win the first one, you hope to win the second one, Gyorko said. I think the way we pitched today, we probably shouldve won two. But obviously any day that you win a game, its a good day.Behind Colon, the Mets threw the ball well, too.Colon (9-5) struck out eight and walked none, throwing 65 of his 87 pitches for strikes. After Gyorko homered in the second and Alberto Rosario doubled in the third, Colon set down 14 of his final 15 batters.On a staff full of young talent, Colon is doing so well that the Mets plan to bring him back on three days rest to start Saturday night against Colorado.Hes pitching as good, if not better, than anybody, manager Terry Collins said.Addison Reed worked the eighth and Jeurys Familia closed for his 36th save this year and 52nd in a row during the regular season.Asdrubal Cabrera ended his 0-for-32 rut with runners in scoring position with an RBI double and added a sacrifice fly off Jaime Garcia (7-7). Wilmer Flores doubled and singled twice, and Collins helped by winning his third replay challenge of the day.The Mets have alternated wins and losses for the last 12 games. They returned to Citi Field for the first time since the All-Star break, facing their fellow NL wild-card contenders.A rainout Monday forced the first doubleheader between the Mets and Cardinals since 1999.Gyorko hit his 14th homer for an early edge in the nightcap. The Cardinals lead the NL with 138 home runs, one more than last years total.St. Louis has homered in 17 straight games, its best streak since a team-reecord string of 19 games in 2006.ddddddddddddabrera tied it with a double in the third. He smiled as he pulled into second base after breaking his long drought.He took a lot of ribbing when he got back into the dugout, Collins said. You cant help but think about it because its brought to your attention a lot.The Mets took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a double by Flores, a dropped flyball by right fielder Randal Grichuk and a double-play grounder.Juan Lagares beat out an infield hit in the fifth, with Collins winning a challenge, and that set up Cabreras sacrifice fly.In the opener, Gyorko homered off Noah Syndergaard (9-5) for a 3-0 lead in the third.Carlos Martinez (10-6) gave up a two-run homer to Rene Rivera and left after the fifth inning. Three relievers finished, with Seung Hwan Oh getting his fifth save in six chances.TRAINERS ROOMMets 3B Jose Reyes went to the hospital with a strain in his side after getting hurt on a swing in his last at-bat of the opener. Collins said Reyes will be out a couple of days.26TH MANThe Cardinals recalled RHP Sam Tuivailala as the 26th player for the second game. He pitched a scoreless inning.The Mets brought up 27-year-old lefty Josh Smoker -- hes made 43 relief appearances for Triple-A Las Vegas, and had never been in the majors. He didnt get into the game, but said the all-day trip from Fresno, California, to Phoenix to New York was worth it.Smoker got his first look at Citi Field, arriving around the sixth inning of the second game and hurrying to get ready. I was dressing as I was going to the bullpen. I didnt want to miss a minute. Got to shake hands at the end of the game. Honestly, it hasnt sunk in yet, he said.Smoker said he hadnt heard what the Mets planned for him in the next day or so.UP NEXTCardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (9-5, 4.09) is 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA in four July starts.Mets: RHP Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.14) starts Wednesday night vs. St. Louis. No one on the Cardinals active roster has batted against him. ' ' '