ST. Jack Doyle Jersey . LOUIS -- Travis Wood made a beeline for fellow pitcher Jeff Samardzijas locker. He wanted to apologize for all of that run support. "I instantly came in here and gave him a hug and said sorry," the lefty said after the Chicago Cubs got six RBIs from Junior Lake in a 17-5 rout over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night. "The offence played great, they brought their A game." Samardzija has a 1.45 ERA, but is 0-3. The Cubs have totalled 15 runs in his eight starts. Lake homered and doubled twice for Chicago, which had lost seven of eight overall. The Cubs totalled just four runs while getting swept in a three-game series at Atlanta over the weekend -- Emilio Bonifacio scored five times himself in this romp. "Thats what we needed," Lake said. "Just play hard and something happened good." Chicago has the worst record in the league at 13-24, but is 4-3 against the defending NL champions. The Cardinals were forced to finish with infielder Daniel Descalso as a relief pitcher getting the final out in the ninth. Its the first time St. Louis used a position player to pitch since Rob Johnson against the Dodgers in a 13-4 loss at home Aug. 7. "Its embarrassing to have to put him into that spot," manager Mike Matheny said. "Hes a team guy and understands, but should have never been in that spot to begin with." "Its tough for all of us to watch." The Cubs hit for the cycle in the first five batters -- Bonifacio doubled, Anthony Rizzo singled, Starlin Castro tripled and Mike Olts two-run homer capped a four-run first inning. Bonifacio had four of Chicagos 20 hits and scored a career-best five times -- the most in the majors this season -- once on a play overturned by video review. Rizzo and Castro each drove in three as the Cubs set season highs for runs and hits. Cardinals reliever Randy Choate gave up a career-worst six runs in the ninth and left with two outs. Descalso made his first pro pitching appearance and retired the only batter he faced, getting Olt on a fly ball. "I just went out there and did what they asked me to do," Descalso said. "I really dont want to talk about this." Wood (3-4) beat St. Louis for the second time in three starts despite giving up five runs in six innings. He hit two batters in the fifth and both scored. Tyler Lyons (0-3) surrendered nine runs in four innings in his fourth start in place of injured Joe Kelly. "I felt a lot better the first two innings than I did in the third and fourth," Lyons said. "Its just one of those things. Sometimes you just get hit, I guess." Allen Craig drove in two runs for the Cardinals. Yadier Molina had two hits, an RBI and a steal when he caught Wood napping in the fifth and took third without a throw. Lake hit a three-run homer in the second for a 7-0 lead. He had an RBI double in the fourth and a two-run double in the ninth. Lake began the game with eight RBIs in 92 at-bats this season. Three of his four homers have come against the Cardinals. "Hes electric, for sure," Wood said. "When hes on, hes on. Hes got tremendous pop and nice to see it come out." Olt leads NL with eight homers, including four in the last six games, all on the road. In the fourth, Bonifacio was called out at the plate when he tried to score on Rizzos grounder to short with the infield in. The Cubs challenged the call, and the ruled was reversed. NOTES: The Cubs previous bests for runs and hits came at Comiskey Park on Thursday when they scored 12 runs on 15 hits against the White Sox. ... Bonifacio is the first Cubs player to score five runs since Jody Davis in 1987. ... Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright (6-2, 4.75) opposes Jake Arrieta (0-0, 2.89) in the second game of a four-game set. Wainwright is 9-7 for his career against Chicago but just 3-6 with a 4.83 ERA at home, and is coming off his first career loss at Wrigley Field on May 2. ... Cardinals LHP Jaime Garcia, rehabbing from shoulder surgery, allowed two runs on three hits in five innings for Triple-A Memphis. Quincy Wilson Jersey . At this rate, the Flyers captain is set to be remembered more for a fantastic finish. Jacoby Brissett Jersey .Michael Briscoe is serving a life sentence for sexual assault, kidnapping and first-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Nina Courtepatte in 2005. http://www.coltsfansshop.com/Colts-Kemoko-Turay-Draft-Jersey/ . The Argentine midfielder made the announcement himself on Twitter on Tuesday and posted a picture of his swollen left foot. His message said he would be out "at least three weeks. WEEHAWKEN, N.J. -- The Colorado Avalanche say they have crunched the numbers and they are looking for offence in Sundays NHL draft. Top prospects Nathan MacKinnon and Seth Jones insist they are both in the dark about whose name will be called first at the Prudential Centre in Newark., N.J. But the Avalanche are not shy about saying that they are leaning towards MacKinnon, a forward, with their first overall pick. Jones, a defenceman from the Portland Winterhawks, is the top-ranked North American skater on the NHL Central Scouting list. But Rick Pracey, Colorados director of amateur scouting, says their research shows that picking an elite forward at the top of the draft pays dividends. Pracey notes that four of the top five scorers this season were No. 1 overall picks in the draft (Steven Stamkos, Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane). The exception was the undrafted Martin St. Louis. And over the last five years, some 48 to 50 per cent of the top 20 scorers were selected in the top five of the draft. So the Avs -- who ranked 27th in scoring this season with 116 goals -- are looking to a forward. "Were leaning towards Nathan MacKinnon," Pracey told The Canadian Press, adding his voice to that of Avs executive vice-president of hockey operations Joe Sakic and new coach Patrick Roy. Colorado likes the 17-year-old MacKinnons history of elevating his game when it counts and his ability to handle pressure. "We think he has elite speed. We like his (hockey) sense, we like his offensive ability and we think he comes to play," Pracey said. "His competitive nature is another factor in his game that were fond of." Halifax Mooseheads winger Jonathan Drouin and Finnish Elite League centre Aleksander Barkov are also on the Avs radar. Scouts say Drouin reminds them of a young Joe Sakic, according to NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr. Barkov, who is coming off a shoulder injury, has been playing against men since he was 16. The three forwards, along with Jones, represent the cream of a crop seen as rich towards the top. Colorado has first crack at the talent, followed by the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes. NHL Central Scouting ranked Jones first ahead of MacKinnon and Drouin among North American skaters. Barkov was rated the top international prospect. Ask MacKinnon and he will tell you Drouin is the most skilled player in the draft. "The things he can do with the puck are pretty cool," he said. "He slows the game down, he kind of controls the tempo." But as to who goes where Sunday, Marr said nothing would surprise him. "Its going to be a difficult choice but its going to be a great one for their franchise," Marr said Friday at a New Jersey media availability overlooking Manhattan. Marr said all four could be NHL-ready. Of course, Colorados open-door policy on its pick could be subterfuge. But Pracey repeated the franchise line, that the Avs wanted to keep their fan base in the loop. That Jones has Denver ties might be a factor in that transparency. The prized defenceman essentially took up the sport in Colorado whhile his NBA-playing father Popeye Jones was with the Nuggets. Anthony Castonzo Jersey. By pointing to MacKinnon, the Avs have played down talk of taking the local boy. Still, Pracey had dinner with Jones in Dallas last week. Marr sees Jones as a rare talent built for todays NHL -- smart, a fluid skater with a good passing touch and with a big-game sensibility. Both MacKinnon and Jones are old beyond their years, both on and off the ice. They handled the media with aplomb Friday, having done it all before at the NHL Combine and Stanley Cup final. Although MacKinnons Mooseheads beat Jones Hawks in the Memorial Cup final, the two have become friends and are rooming together here. Asked about what Jones is like away from the ice, MacKinnon mischievously offered that he is always willing to order room service. They both say they are in the dark about who will go where on the draft menu Sunday. MacKinnon says he is not paying attention to draft talk, saying he doesnt want his expectations too high. The Avs have said nothing to them, the two players said when asked. MacKinnon did say he would look forward to working under Roy, who coached Quebec in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season. "It would be an awesome experience," MacKinnon said. "He develops young players very well." Colorado won the opportunity to go first in the draft lottery, dropping Florida to second spot. The Panthers had the worst record in the league in 2012-13 at 15-27-6, finishing three points behind Colorado (16-25-7). The Avalanche, during their days as the Quebec Nordiques, picked first overall three time before. They scooped up some marquee names in Mats Sundin (1989), Owen Nolan (1990), while Eric Lindros (1991) held out and forced a trade to Philadelphia. At No. 6, Calgary holds the highest pick among Canadian teams. The Flames also pick 22nd (St. Louis, via the Jay Bouwmeester deal) and 28th (Pittsburgh, Jarome Iginla trade) in the first round. Edmonton selects seventh followed by Winnipeg at No. 13, Ottawa at No. 17, Toronto at No. 21, Vancouver at No. 24 and Montreal at No. 25. Like Calgary, Columbus has three first round-picks -- its own at No. 14, the Rangers 19th pick (from the Rick Nash trade) and L.A.s 28th pick (from the Jeff Carter deal). Buffalo (eighth and 16th) and Dallas (10th and 19th) have two first-round picks apiece, meaning four teams -- Buffalo, Calgary, Columbus and Dallas -- control one-third of the first round going into the draft. That combined with the decrease in salary cap for next season could lead to deals ahead of Sunday. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds defenceman Darnell Nurse is also expected to go high. Marr sees him as having a bit of Shea Webber in him. Nurse, the son of former CFL receiver Richard Nurse and nephew to former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb, says he has pondered over who might take him. But he added ultimately it doesnt matter. "Id like to play anywhere in the NHL," said Nurse, who grew up a Devils fan. "Thats the honest truth." The goalie crop is seen as thin but not without talent. Marr enthused about Halifaxs Zachary Fucale, citing his mental toughness. Cheap Baltimore Orioles Gear Cheap Boston Red Sox Gear Cheap New York Yankees Gear Cheap Tampa Bay Rays Gear Cheap Toronto Blue Jays Gear Cheap Chicago Cubs Gear Cheap Milwaukee Brewers Gear Cheap Pittsburgh Pirates Gear Cheap Cincinnati Reds Gear Cheap St. Louis Cardinals Gear Cheap Arizona Diamondbacks Gear Cheap Colorado Rockies Gear Cheap Los Angeles Dodgers Gear Cheap San Diego Padres Gear Cheap San Francisco Giants Gear ' ' '