Cards on brink of elimination after loss to Cubs

If that was indeed the final moment, the final pitch of Adam Wainwright’s career as a Cardinal, it was summed up with symmetry. A right-hander who boasted one of the best curveballs of his generation, and threw one of the biggest in franchise history, ended his five-inning start at Wrigley Field with one more. Fittingly, Javier Baez swung and missed. But Friday afternoon had few other sweet endings for the Cardinals, who had hoped to increase the chances of another Wainwright start by extending their own season. An early four-run hole proved too much to surmount on a day when the Cards came out sloppy in their series opener at Wrigley Field. Their 8-4 loss to the Cubs dropped St. Louis to 1 1/2 games back of Los Angeles in the National League Wild Card race with two games remaining.