Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks may have just wrapped up the National League Cy Young race.

MORE: Baseball’s worst September collapses, ranked

Hendricks took a no-hitter into the ninth inning Monday in a 4-1 win over the Cardinals. His first career no-hit bid was broken up by Jeremy Hazelbaker, who led off the ninth with a solo home run, but Hendricks improved to 15-7 with an MLB-leading 2.03 ERA after his near-historic showing.

Had Hendricks completed the no-hitter, he would have joined teammate Jake Arrieta as the only other pitcher to accomplish the feat this season. The Giants, Marlins and Rangers have also had no-hit bids broken up in the ninth inning this season.

Despite entering the year as the team’s No. 5 starter, and viewed by some as a liability for the World Series hopefuls, Hendricks has consistently out-pitched everyone in MLB this season. He appears to have an edge over Nationals ace Max Scherzer in the Cy Young chase.

With the loss, the Cardinals remained a half-game behind the Mets for the final wild-card spot. The Mets lost Monday to the Nationals 8-1.

Player of the day

Red Sox outfielder Chris Young went 4 for 4 with three runs scored and a solo home run to help Boston defeat the Orioles 12-2. With the win, Boston remained two games ahead of the Blue Jays in the AL East, and three games ahead of the Orioles.

Highlight

David Ortiz gets a curtain call after tying Mickey Mantle for 17th on the all-time home run list:

Three things to know

— Brian Dozier became the first Twins player with a 40-plus home run season since Harmon Killebrew in 1970. In the same game, the Tigers’ Ian Kinsler launched his seventh leadoff home run of the year, tying a team record set by Curtis Granderson (2007, 2009). The Tigers ultimately won the game 4-2 and are just one game behind the Orioles for the final AL wild-card spot.

— Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki went 3 for 5 in a 12-7 loss to the Braves, passing Lou Brock for 25th on the all-time hits list.

— Avisail Garcia and Adam Eaton led the White Sox to an 11-4 win against the Indians. Garcia went 4 for 5 with three runs scored and a solo home run, while Eaton collected two hits, including a homer, two runs scored, two RBIs and a walk. The White Sox scored a run in every inning for the second time in club history. The previous game was May 11, 1949.

What’s next

Dodgers (81-62) at Yankees (76-67), 7 p.m. ET — West Coast meets East Coast, and young meets veteran when Los Angeles sends rookie Julio Urias (5-2, 3.69 ERA) to face off against CC Sabathia (8-12, 4.27 ERA).