but because Garcia had not fought since January, his team want

DENVER -- On the mound, Adam Wainwright likes to own the inside part of the plate.As hes only recently discovered, crowding it is a pretty good approach for hitting, too.Although shaky on the hill, Wainwright shined in the batters box with a career-high four RBI as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Colorado Rockies 10-5 on Tuesday night to move into a three-way tie for the two NL wild cards.Wainwright credits inching just a little bit closer for his newfound prowess at the plate.My whole career, Ive fought trying to pull the ball and tried to stay up the middle and hit the ball to right field. It just doesnt work for me very well, explained Wainwright, who has 18 RBI this season. If its a pitch in the strike zone, Im going to swing at it.The free-swinging Wainwright lined a two-run double in the second inning and brought in two more with a bloop single in the fifth. Matt Adams and Jedd Gyorko homered for the Cardinals, now even with the Mets and Giants in the race for the final two NL playoff spots.The 35-year-old Wainwright (12-9) didnt have his sharpest command, yielding solo homers to Daniel Descalso, Charlie Blackmon and Gerardo Parra. But the right-hander was sharp enough -- especially his curveball -- as he gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings.In a park like this, in a place where no lead is safe, a pitcher, if you can go out there and push something across ... youre doing your job, Wainwright explained.Jorge De La Rosa (8-9) struggled through what could be his final start in a Rockies uniform. The winningest pitcher in team history allowed eight runs -- seven earned -- in 4 2/3 innings. His contract expires after this season.It looked like he just didnt have a lot of depth to his stuff, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.Wainwright became the second straight Cardinals pitcher to play a starring role at the plate. Carlos Martinez had a two-run double in a 5-3 win on Monday.These days, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny just cant help but scoreboard-watch. Its hard to miss, since the scores are posted on the right-field fence and he stares at it from the dugout.And yes, he saw it when the Mets game went final.Just keep playing our game, Matheny said. Not get caught up.Adams had a solo homer in the second and Gyorko added a two-run shot in the fourth -- a 452-foot no-doubter to center. Gyorko has 27 homers this season.DJ LeMahieus average remained at .349 after he went 1 for 3 with a double. He holds a slight lead over Washingtons Daniel Murphy in the NL batting race. Murphy is hitting .347.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: OF Matt Holliday (broken right thumb) said of his potential return: I will be ready as fast as I can. To put a date on it doesnt make sense. ... INF Matt Carpenter got the night off.Rockies: Third base coach Stu Cole was hit in the head by a ball that caromed off another during batting practice. He checked out OK after being taken to the hospital. The Rockies moved Eric Young over to coach third, and Vinny Castilla served as the first base coach.MIGHTY BLOWHolliday good-naturedly admitted he hasnt received a bill for breaking the glass at a burger joint behind the left-field seats during batting practice Monday.Then again, the restaurant -- Helton Burger Shack -- does bear the name of his good friend, longtime Rockies first baseman Todd Helton.Hollidays drive shattered the window pane protecting the prep area.That was collateral damage, joked Holliday, who was with the Rockies from 2004-08. Maybe now they will put in Plexiglas.THIS & THATWainwright has 133 wins and is one from tying Dizzy Dean for sixth on St. Louis career list. ... Randal Grichuk had three hits, including two doubles, and scored four times. ... De La Rosa is 53-20 with a 4.31 ERA at Coors Field in 106 games with Colorado, including 99 starts. Hes the poster boy for showing that you can pitch in an offensive park here at altitude, Weiss said.UP NEXTThe Cardinals will send RHP Luke Weaver (1-3, 3.21 ERA) to the mound in the series finale Wednesday. The Rockies counter with righty German Marquez (0-0), who will make his first major league start after three relief appearances. Toronto Blue Jays Gear . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Toronto Blue Jays Shirts . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/ . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Blue Jays Jerseys 2020 . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. Wholesale Blue Jays Jerseys . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. Welterweight world titleholder Danny Garcia has faced less-than-threatening competition for the most part of the past three years -- Rod Salka, lest anyone forget -- and has taken heavy criticism for it.And once again, he will take on a no-hoper when he faces Samuel Vargas in a 10-round nontitle bout in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions card on Saturday night (Spike, 9 ET) at Temple Universitys Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Garcias hometown.But as poor of a matchup as the Vargas fight is, at least there is something to look forward to should Garcia do the expected and wipe him out.A Garcia victory will set up an already-announced world title unification showdown with Keith Thurman on March 4 -- site to be determined -- which is one of the best fights that can be made in boxing. Garcia (32-0, 18 KOs), the former unified junior welterweight world champion, said he is trying not to get too far ahead of himself, however.I know people are excited about the Thurman fight. I understand that and Im going to be pumped up for that one, too, Garcia, 28, said this week at the final news conference ahead of the Vargas bout. But Im not looking past anybody. Im fully focused on putting on a show at home and doing what I have to do to beat Vargas.Theres not too much to say but Im really excited to fight. I hope all the fans come out and see what theyve been missing in Philly. Im going for the knockout.A knockout wont come as a surprise. Although Vargas has won five fights in a row against low-level opposition, he was punished in a fourth-round knockout loss to Errol Spence Jr. in 2015 in the only fight in which he has faced a world-class opponent.But Vargas (25-2-1, 13 KOs), 27, who is from Colombia and fights out of Toronto, is aiming for a colossal upset.Danny is a champion for a reason. He does everything well. We just have to find a way to win, Vargas said. My trainer, Billy Briscoe, has done an amazing job of working with me and keeping me motivated. Its been a really good camp. Im looking for the upset that night. Everyone wants to see Danny fight Keith Thurman, but Im looking to make myself known. I feel confident.There are also two other 10-round fights scheduled for the telecast: up-and-coming junior middleweight Jarrett Hurd (18-0, 12 KOs), 26, of Accokeek, Maryland, against Montreals Jo Jo Dan (35-3, 18 KOs), a 35-year-old southpaw originally from Romania, and former junior lightweight titlist Javier Fortuna (30-1-1, 22 KOs), 27, of the Dominican Republic, against Omar Douglas (17-0, 12 KOs), 25, of Wilmington, Delaware.Whatever happens in the main event, there will be an interested party at ringside. Thurman (27-0, 22 KOs), 27, of Clearwater, Florida, will be in the house working as a commentator on the Spike broadcast as PBC tries to hype up the March fight.He will just get an up close and personal look at what will happen to him in March, said Garcia, who is boxing in his hometown for the first time since 2010 and for only the fourth time in his nine-year career. I hope hes paying attention. I am just going in the ring and be myself. Seek and destroy. I am taking this one round at a time. Im looking to be smart and break him down. When the opportunity comes, Im taking it and putting on a show.I am not looking past this fight. I have tunnel vision and have never looked past anyone. I know he is coming to win, but II am ready mentally and physically to get the job done.dddddddddddderhaps he was being a bit dramatic, but Angel Garcia, Dannys outspoken father and trainer, seemed to indicate the level of mismatch in Saturdays fight.I just pray every day that he doesnt kill anybody in the ring, Angel Garcia said of his son. These arent the Looney Tunes. This is real right now. Vargas is in with the champ of the world. Thurman may be on the outside looking in on Saturday, but hes going to see what he has in store for him in March.Thurman told ESPN he will be paying close attention to Garcias performance and that he is looking forward to the fight he has wanted.This is everything Ive been asking for, Thurman said. This is what Ive been asking Al Haymon [Thurman and Garcias manager] for. I was really adamant about becoming a champion, but I want to acquire more than one belt. My true passion is to become the undisputed welterweight champion of the world. I love the history of the welterweight division and Im trying to be a part of that history.I got to admit [Saturdays fight] is interesting. I will have one of the best seats in the house. I will be doing a job but I will be paying attention to the details.Before he knew he would be fighting Garcia, Thurman was a commentator when Garcia outpointed Robert Guerrero in January to win a vacant welterweight world title. He hoped they would eventually fight.Watching him acquire that title and facing a prior opponent of mine, he was on my radar back then, said Thurman, who battered Guerrero in a decision win in March 2015. Now its all coming full circle and its right around the corner, March 4. Danny Garcia asked for this fight against me, but he asked for a tune-up fight first.Thurman said he will be paying attention to see how Garcia attacks Vargas.Are they going to go in for a knockout to demonstrate his power at 147 and just try to amp themselves up or are they going to take their time, maybe add something new to his fighting style or practice something, Thurman said.Thurman, who outpointed Shawn Porter in a fight of the year candidate in June, said he wanted to face Garcia at the end of this year, but because Garcia had not fought since January, his team wanted a tune-up first.I understand why his team is taking this tune-up, but what are they trying to accomplish, Thurman said. [Work on] new techniques? Prepare a game plan to mimic what they want to bring forth when they fight me? Hes supposed to beat this guy and from there hes going to be like me -- mentally focused on 2017 for the biggest fight of his career and the biggest fight of my career.There is going to be lot to talk about. I know he and his team are geared up for it. Saturday night is in preparation for 2017.But what if the unimaginable should happen and Garcia loses?Things can happen in the ring. Theres always a risk, Thurman said. I just dont like to worry about outcomes that havent manifested yet. I will be there as a spectator wishing for Danny to win and look good. I want him to look as good as he can. I want the world to be excited about it. With a mediocre performance it could kill some of the buzz. But you will be looking at two undefeated world champions in their prime going toe to toe on March 4. ' ' '