ST. LOUIS - Lance Lynn allowed one run over seven innings and the St. Louis Cardinals scored three times in the third in a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.
Matt Carpenter, Jon Jay and Matt Adams drove in runs for the Cardinals, who have won seven of nine.
Philadelphia has lost five in a row, tying a season high. The Phillies also dropped five in a row from June 7-12.
St. Louis has the most victories in the majors at 62 and is a season-high 25 games over .500.
Lynn (12-5) had dropped four of his previous five decisions and was 3-4 with a 6.32 ERA in his past eight starts.
He returned to his early season form on Thursday.
Lynn, who was 8-1 with a 2.76 ERA in his first 12 starts, gave up five hits against the slumping Phillies, who have scored nine runs during the five-game skid. He struck out six and walked four.
Lynn, whose last victory came on July 7, retired eight batters in a row from the fourth through seventh innings. He set the side down in order in the fifth and sixth on a combined 23 pitches.
Closer Edward Mujica picked up his 30th save in 32 opportunities. He struck out two and is tied with Pittsburgh’s Jason Grilli for the most saves in the NL. Trevor Rosenthal pitched a scoreless eighth for the Cardinals.
St. Louis scored three times on four hits off Philadelphia starter Kyle Kendrick (9-7) in the third.
Carpenter drove in Pete Kozma with a one-out single. Jay followed with an RBI triple and Adams added a run-scoring single.
Erik Kratz drove in the Phillies’ run with a single in the fourth.
MARLINS 5, ROCKIES 3 Rob Brantly scored on a wild pitch to break up a scoreless game in the eighth inning, Donovan Solano homered in a four-run ninth, and visiting Miami overcame a 93-minute rain delay to beat Colorado.
METS 7, BRAVES 4 John Buck drove in three runs and Zack Wheeler beat visiting Atlanta for the second time in seven major league starts, sending New York to a victory. Daniel Murphy and Marlon Byrd had three hits apiece for the Mets, who gained a four-game series split. But the news wasn’t all good for New York: Eric Young Jr., a spark in the lead off spot since arriving last month, was pulled with pain in his right knee.
PADRES 10, BREWERS 8 Carlos Quentin and Jesus Guzman homered and visiting San Diego got 16 hits on their way to a victory over Milwaukee. Will Venable added two doubles for San Diego. Edinson Volquez (8-8) worked into the sixth inning. Huston Street, the Padres’ seventh pitcher, closed for his 18th save in 19 tries. Yovani Gallardo (8-9) was tagged for six runs on eight hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings.
NATIONALS 9, PIRATES 7 Bryce Harper delivered the first game-ending home run of his career, a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth that lifted host Washington to a victory over Pittsburgh and ended the Nationals’ losing streak at six. Harper drove a hanging slider over the wall just to the left of straightaway center with two outs off Bryan Morris (4-4), who earlier allowed a single to Kurt Suzuki.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
WHITE SOX 7, TIGERS 4 Jake Peavy pitched into the eighth inning and host Chicago beat Justin Verlander and Detroit. Torii Hunter (Pine Bluff) hit a home run for the third time time in the series. But the Tigers outfielder exited in the eighth and is day to day with a sore left Achilles.
YANKEES 2, RANGERS 0 Hiroki Kuroda (10-6) pitched seven scoreless innings, Mariano Rivera got gifts before posting another save and visiting New York beat Texas.
BLUE JAYS 4, ASTROS 0 Mark Buehrle pitched a two-hitter and host Toronto ended a season-worst seven-game losing streak by beating Houston.
ROYALS 7, ORIOLES 1 Jeremy Guthrie pitched six solid innings, Billy Butler hit a home run and host Kansas City beat Baltimore. Guthrie (10-7) allowed six hits over six innings. He gave up 1 run, while striking out 5 and walking 1.
Thursday’s games
NATIONAL LEAGUE NY Mets 7, Atlanta 4 Washington 9, Pittsburgh 7 San Diego 10, Milwaukee 8 Miami 5, Colorado 3 St. Louis 3, Philadelphia 1 Chicago Cubs at Arizona, (n) Cincinnati at LA Dodgers, (n)
AMERICAN LEAGUE NY Yankees 2, Texas 0 Chicago White Sox 7, Detroit 4 Toronto 4, Houston 0 Tampa Bay at Boston, ppd., rain Kansas City 7, Baltimore 1 LA Angels at Oakland, (n) Minnesota at Seattle, (n)
Sports, Pages 22 on 07/26/2013