Morel and Crow-Armstrong hit 2 HRs each, lifting the Cubs over the Cardinals 8-3

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong and Christopher Morel each homered twice to lead the Chicago Cubs to an 8-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.

Tomas Nido and Ian Happ also homered for the Cubs, who split the four-game set against their NL Central rivals.

Alec Burleson homered for St. Louis.

Crow-Armstrong hit solo homers in the third and fifth innings. Nido snapped a 2-all tie with his fourth of the season in the fifth.

The six homers was the most since the Cubs got seven on Aug 1, 2023, against Cincinnati.

Crow-Armstrong entered the game with a .194 average and only one home run. He also stole his 17th base of the season.

“It’s no secret that I’ve been pretty (bad) at the plate,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It’s just kind of evening out and acting like I belong here. It was a good day. Something in the air, I guess.”

Crow-Armstrong became the first Cubs player to homer twice out of the No. 9 spot in the batting order since Ryan Lavarnway on July 19, 2019, against Cincinnati.

“It was his best day in the big leagues, and it was fun to watch,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said.

Morel, who has 18 homers, hit a two-run shot in the sixth and a solo home run in the eighth.

Chicago, which has won six of eight, recorded back-to-back homers in the fifth and eighth innings.

Jameson Taillon (7-4) allowed three runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings.

“It wasn’t even close to my best stuff,” Taillon said. “But I think we proved we can play with anybody. It’s a message to ourselves.”

Chicago closed a seven-game road trip in style. It began with a three-game sweep in Baltimore.

“We’ve been trending in the right direction for a long time,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It’s fun when stuff starts coming together.”

St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas (7-8) surrendered six runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings. He gave up four home runs.

Brendan Donovan had three hits and reached base four times for the Cardinals.

St. Louis closer Ryan Helsley, the Cardinals’ lone all-star, said the four-game set with Chicago was, “a good, tough series.”

Helsley has a major-league leading 32 saves.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: LHP Luke Little has been sidelined with a shoulder injury. He will be reevaluated during the All-Star break.

Cardinals: OF Michael Siani missed his second game with an elbow injury.

UP NEXT:

Cubs: Host Arizona in a three-game series beginning Friday.

Cardinals: Visit Atlanta for a three-games set Friday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals' Brendan Donovan is safe at second for a stolen base as Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner, left, stops the throw during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki heads to first on an RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals' Brendan Donovan singles during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas pauses after giving up a solo home run to Chicago Cubs' Tomas Nido during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong and Christopher Morel (5) celebrate an 8-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in a baseball game Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ (8) is congratulated by third base coach Willie Harris after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Chicago Cubs' Christopher Morel arrives home after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Drew Smyly throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong (52) is congratulated by teammate Dansby Swanson (7) after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Chicago Cubs' Christopher Morel rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, July 14, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A man suspected in an apparent assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump was charged Monday with federal gun crimes, making his first court appearance in the final weeks of a White House race already touched by violence.

Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Additional and more serious charges are possible as the investigation continues and Justice Department prosecutors seek an indictment from a grand jury.

Routh appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach, where he answered perfunctory questions about his work status and income. Shackled and wearing a blue jumpsuit, he smiled as he spoke with a public defender and reviewed documents ahead of the initial appearance. The lawyer declined to comment after the hearing ended.

Routh was arrested Sunday afternoon after authorities spotted a firearm poking out of shrubbery on the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing. Prosecutors asked that he remain locked up as a flight risk. A federal magistrate set additional hearings for later this month.

The authorities did not immediately reveal any new details about Routh or allege a particular motive. But he left an online footprint that reveals shifting political views and intense outrage about world events.

“You are free to assassinate Trump,” Routh wrote of Iran in an apparently self-published 2023 book titled “Ukraine’s Unwinnable War,” which described the former president as a “fool” and “buffoon” for both the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots and the “tremendous blunder” of leaving the Iran nuclear deal.

Routh wrote that he once voted for Trump and must take part of the blame for the “child that we elected for our next president that ended up being brainless.”

He also tried to recruit fighters for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, and he had a website seeking to raise money and recruit volunteers to fight for Kyiv.

Court records obtained by The Associated Press show Routh was convicted of multiple felony offenses, including two charges of possessing stolen goods in 2002 in North Carolina.

Speaking in a soft voice in court, he said that he was working and making around $3,000 a month, but has zero savings.

Routh said that he has no real estate or assets, aside from two trucks worth about $1,000, both located in Hawaii. He also said that he has a 25-year-old son, whom he sometimes supports.

Secret Service agents stationed a few holes up from where Trump was playing golf noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through the shrubbery that lines the course, roughly 400 yards away.

An agent fired and Routh dropped the rifle and fled in an SUV, leaving the firearm behind along with two backpacks, an aiming scope and a GoPro camera, authorities said. Routh was later stopped by law enforcement in a neighboring county.

It was the second apparent assassination attempt targeting Trump in as many months.

On July 13, a bullet grazed Trump's ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Eight days later, Democratic President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, giving way for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the party’s nominee.

Tucker, Durkin Richer and Long reported from Washington.

Officers with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office work outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

A vehicle with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office is parked outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Law enforcement officials work outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

An FBI officer works outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

An FBI officer works outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Trump International Golf Club is shown, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

An FBI officer works outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Trump International Golf Club is shown after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Trump International Golf Club is shown, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)