Ian Happ homered twice and Justin Steele struck out eight over six innings as the Chicago Cubs defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 9-1 in Saturday's opener of the two-game 2023 MLB London Series.

It was the fourth straight win for the Cubs.

Happ went deep for the fifth and sixth times in his career against St. Louis veteran Adam Wainwright (3-2), and Dansby Swanson clubbed a late two-run homer for the Cubs, who've won nine of 10 and 11 of the past 13.

Christopher Morel, Yan Gomes and Nick Madrigal -- the bottom three in Chicago's order -- combined for seven hits and an RBI apiece as the Cubs pounded out 14 hits and drove in six runs with two out.

Meanwhile, Steele (8-2) didn't yield a hit until the fifth, when Jordan Walker singled to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. It was one of five allowed by Steele, whose only run surrendered came via Paul Goldschmidt's RBI single in the sixth.

Wainwright, on the other hand, allowed season highs for runs (seven) and hits (11), and he didn't record a strikeout before exiting in the fourth inning after the first two batters reached. The Cardinals, who managed six hits, have been outscored 12-1 in losing two straight after totaling 30 runs during a four-game winning streak.

After Wainwright retired the Cubs in order during the first, Happ led off the second with a drive over the center-field wall. Chicago made it 2-0 on Madrigal's RBI hit that capped a run of three consecutive singles after two were out.

Happ put the Cubs ahead 3-0 with two out in the third when he took a Wainwright pitch well into the right-field seats. Chicago added two more in the frame as Morel and Gomes recorded back-to-back RBI singles -- part of five straight hits with two outs.

Consecutive doubles from Madrigal and Mike Tauchman to open the fourth gave the Cubs a 6-0 edge and chased Wainwright. Tauchman later scored by beating the tag of Nolan Arenado's throw home on Seiya Suzuki's grounder to third base.

--Field Level Media