St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Lance Lynn throws during the first inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday in St. Louis.
Agencies/New York
Lance Lynn allowed only four hits in seven shutout innings and St. Louis knocked around Cincinnati ace Johnny Cueto as the Cardinals beat the Reds 7-3 on Wednesday.
Cueto (15-7), who entered the night trailing only the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw for the National League’s ERA lead, was knocked out before recording an out in the sixth. He gave up five runs on seven hits, walking four and fanning four.
It was the seventh win in eight games for St. Louis (69-57), which finished its homestand at 6-1 and pulled within 1 ½ games of National League Central leader Milwaukee.
Facing Johnny Cueto definitely brought out the best in the Cardinals’ Lance Lynn.
“It didn’t hurt my feelings one bit beating him,’’ Lynn said. “You see all the leader boards and you see his name up at the top. I outpitched him tonight, so yeah.”
Lynn beat Cincinnati for the third straight time and Jhonny Peralta hit a bases-clearing double for St. Louis
Manager Mike Matheny said he’d anticipated seeing ‘’how Lance bows his neck’’ against Cueto. ‘’It’s a great opportunity to show what you can do,’’ the manager added.
Cueto was off-kilter from the get-go and missed a chance to become the majors’ first 16-game winner. He allowed five runs in five-plus innings, and his seven-game winning streak ended.
“He just labored,’’ manager Bryan Price said. “We’ve come to expect him to be great every time and today just wasn’t one of those times.’’
The Cardinals have won eight of nine and swept the Reds at home for the first time since Sept. 26-28, 2008. Cincinnati has lost 10 of 12, with Cueto getting the two wins.
Jon Jay had three hits, scored twice and was plunked by a pitch for the sixth time in six games for St. Louis. He is batting .514 (18 for 35) during a 12-game hitting streak, and has been hit by a pitch a majors-leading 16 times.
Lynn (14-8) gave up four singles and was set to pitch the eighth leading 5-0 before a 58-minute rain delay ended his outing.
“You always want to keep going,’’ Lynn said. “For it to be ended by rain, that’s never a great feeling. But we won the game, that’s all that matters.”
Elsewhere, Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 8-3, but lost 13-game winner Garrett Richards to what appeared to be a serious knee injury.
In winning their third straight game, the Angels wiped out a 3-0 deficit and scored five runs in the fifth inning while their bullpen shut down the Red Sox.
The win, their fifth in six games on a road trip, moved Los Angeles (75-50) a game and a half ahead of the Oakland Athletics in the American League West.
But it appeared to be a costly night for the Angels, as Richards (13-4) was taken off the field on a stretcher after his left knee appeared to buckle as he ran to cover first base.
The initial report said he had suffered a left patellar (kneecap) injury.
The Angels have already lost left-hander Tyler Skaggs for the season with Tommy John surgery.
Pinch-hitter Anthony Rendon had an RBI single with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning off reliever Evan Marshall as the Washington Nationals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 for their ninth win in a row.
The National League East-leading Nationals (72-53) are now a season-high 19 games above .500 and one win shy of tying a franchise record for consecutive victories of 10 set in 2005. Washington has won four of its last five games in walk-off fashion.
The Diamondbacks (53-74) are a season-worst 21 games below .500 and have lost five in a row.
Rick Porcello retired 20 consecutive batters at one point and Victor Martinez hit a grand slam as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-0.
Porcello (14-8) tossed a three-hitter and retired the Rays in order for six straight innings. He finished the complete game in 104 pitches and struck out four.
First baseman Matt McBride hit his first career grand slam home run and the Colorado Rockies beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2.
The loss was just the seventh in 29 games for the Royals, whose lead over the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central was trimmed to one game.
