Lynn again starts fast for Cards

Posted: Thursday, May 2, 2013 7:00 pm

By The Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Fast starts are becoming routine for Lance Lynn and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Lynn won his 10th straight decision, allowing one run and five hits in seven innings Wednesday to lead the Cardinals over the Cincinnati Reds 4-2.
Lynn (5-0) struck out five and walked two, improving to 10-0 in 10 starts and one relief appearance since losing to Milwaukee on Sept. 7.
He became the NL’s first five-game winner.
“It’s early — but it’s fun so far,” Lynn said.
He was 6-0 with a 1.48 ERA through May 7 last season, then went 12-7 with a 4.46 ERA the rest of the way.
Leading the NL Central at the start of May for the sixth straight year, St. Louis has won six of its last nine.
Carlos Beltran hit his team-high seventh homer for the Cardinals and Matt Carpenter had three hits, including a go-ahead single in the sixth.
Homer Bailey (1-3) was the losing pitcher.
Cubs 6, Padres 2
CHICAGO (AP) — Scott Feldman retired 18 straight on his way to his first career complete game and the Cubs took advantage of former No. 1 pick Andrew Cashner’s wildness in a 6-2 win over the Padres.
Feldman (2-3) earned his second straight win, allowing two runs and three hits while walking one.
After Chase Headley singled with two outs in the first, Feldman retired the next 18 batters.
Feldman had 12 strikeouts to set a new career high.
He also had an RBI double in the second to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead.
Starlin Castro was 2 for 4 with two runs scored for the Cubs.
Cashner, making his first start against the team that made him its No. 1 pick in 2008, lasted four innings and gave up five runs, four earned.
Nats 2, Braves 0
ATLANTA (AP) — Jordan Zimmermann turned in another dominant performance with two-hit ball over eight innings, Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer in the fourth and the Washington Nationals finally beat the Atlanta Braves, 2-0 Wednesday night.
The Braves had won five in a row this season over their NL East rival, and nine straight dating to last season.
Zimmermann (5-1) made sure that streak ended with another dominating performance, snapping a three-game losing streak that had knocked the Nationals under .500.
Atlanta starter Paul Maholm (3-3) nearly matched Zimmermann.
He allowed only three hits in eight innings, retiring the last 13 batters he faced.
But Desmond provided all the runs that Washington needed, homering to left-center on a 1-1 pitch in the fourth after Bryce Harper led off with a walk.
Pirates 6, Brewers 4
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Starling Marte hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth inning and Brandon Inge had a go-ahead RBI single to rally Pittsburgh to a victory over Milwaukee, snapping the Pirates’ nine-game losing streak against the Brewers.
Pedro Alvarez added a run-scoring single to cap a four-run eighth as Pittsburgh won for the 10th time in its last 15 games and ended Milwaukee’s eight-game home winning streak.
Bryan Morris (1-1) got the last two outs of the seventh for his first career victory.
Mark Melancon pitched the eighth and Jason Grilli the ninth for his 11th save.
John Axford (0-3) gave up all four runs while getting just two outs in the eighth for the Brewers.
Mets 7, Marlins 6
MIAMI (AP) — Jordany Valdespin hit a three-run, pinch-homer, and the Mets rallied Wednesday to break a six-game losing streak and avert a series sweep, beating the Marlins.
The Mets’ dormant offense finally came alive after they fell behind 4-1. Valdespin put New York ahead to stay in the sixth inning with his second homer, and NL RBIs leader John Buck added a two-run double in the seventh.
Buck and David Wright each had three of New York’s 13 hits.
Wright hit his third homer for the Mets, who totaled only 11 runs during their losing streak.

Published in The Messenger 5.2.13