Kelly works out kinks as Cardinals top Dodgers

Sunday, July 20, 2014

ST. LOUIS -- After stumbling in his first start following three months on the disabled list, Joe Kelly tinkered with his mechanics.

Kelly bounced back with seven strong innings and Matt Adams homered in a four-run first as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 Saturday to send All-Star Zack Greinke to losses in consecutive regular-season starts for the first time in nearly four years.

Kelly (2-1) gave up four hits over seven innings, retiring his last 13 batters as the Cardinals won for the eighth time in 10 games.

Kelly didn't get a decision July 11 in his return from a strained left hamstring, when he gave up six runs over three innings during the Cardinals' 7-6 victory at Milwaukee. After winning for the first time since April 5, he wouldn't detail his changes.

"I did a lot of stuff different, but I'm not going to give it away," he said. "If you watch the video, you can probably tell."

Kelly induced 12 groundouts and worked out of trouble with double plays in each of the first two innings.

"I was just trying to mix up pitches and hide stuff better," he said.

St. Louis Manager Mike Matheny was impressed with Kelly's ability to keep the ball down.

"I thought it was one of his better pitching performances," Matheny said. "There were times when I even thought his change-up was a breaking ball. It has so much depth to it. So his secondary pitches were on."

The Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez said Kelly had great pitch location.

"He didn't throw any balls in the middle of the plate," he said. "He kept throwing his fastballs right on the corner. There weren't any pitches to drive."

Trevor Rosenthal, the Cardinals' third reliever, earned his 30th save in 34 chances when Andre Either grounded into a game-ending double play.

Coming off a July 9 defeat at Detroit, Greinke (11-6) walked a season-high 5 and gave up 4 runs and 6 hits in 5 2/3 innings. He had not lost back-to-back starts in the regular season since Sept. 20 and 25, 2010, for Kansas City at Detroit and Cleveland, according to STATS.

Greinke did lose his regular-season finale against Colorado last year and was beaten by Atlanta in his first postseason start.

"Too many mistakes in one inning," Greinke said. "I've been doing that too much lately, getting behind in a game too early. I need to find a way to be better right from the get-go."

St. Louis improved to 21-10 at home against the Dodgers in the regular season since the start of the 2006. The Cardinals also beat Los Angeles in six games in last year's National League Championship Series.

Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday left the game in the fifth, four innings after he was shaken up while diving back into second base on a pickoff attempt. The Cardinals said team doctors determined Holliday did not sustain a concussion.

Dodgers All-Star outfielder Yasiel Puig left in the eighth, five innings after he was hit on the left hand by a Kelly pitch. Los Angeles Manager Don Mattingly said Puig was hit "near the top or on the side a little bit."

Both players were considered day to day.

Matt Carpenter opened the Cardinals' first with a walk, and Kolten Wong reached on a slow roller when second baseman Dee Gordon threw wide of first, a play ruled a hit and an error that put runners on second and third,

Holliday followed with a two-run single and Adams hit his 12th home run on Greinke's 16th pitch of the game.

Adams, who has 15 hits in his past 39 at-bats, drilled a line drive over the right-field wall.

"The curveball just popped up in the zone," Adams said. "When it does that, you know it's a good one to swing at."

Greinke said Adams outsmarted him.

"I was just trying to be aggressive and it was the wrong choice," he said. "Usually, he's kind of patient early."

Los Angeles, which has lost five of eight, scored on Hanley Ramirez's RBI infield single in the third and Carl Crawford's sacrifice fly against Sam Freeman in the eighth.

The Dodgers have only 12 runs in their past seven games.

"It just tells us that we've got to get better," Mattingly said.

GIANTS 5, MARLINS 3 Hunter Pence drove in two runs and Pablo Sandoval had three hits for visiting San Francisco in a victory over Miami.

NATIONALS 8, BREWERS 3 Matt Garza was knocked out in the first inning of his shortest major league start, and Ryan Zimmerman and Wilson Ramos drove in three runs apiece to lead host Washington over Milwaukee.

PHILLIES 2, BRAVES 1 Cole Hamels (4-5) held host Atlanta to four hits through seven innings, Jimmy Rollins hit a two-run home run, and Philadelphia beat the Braves.

PIRATES 3, ROCKIES 2 (11) Jordy Mercer doubled home Neil Walker with one out in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift host Pittsburgh to a victory over Colorado.

DIAMONDBACKS 9, CUBS 3 Miguel Montero hit a go-ahead, three-run double in the fifth, Paul Goldschmidt added a two-run home run and Arizona beat visiting Chicago.

PADRES 6, METS 0 All-Star Tyson Ross threw seven shutout innings and San Diego hit three home runs in a victory that snapped visiting

New York’s four-game winning streak.

INTERLEAGUE

YANKEES 7, REDS 1 Brandon McCarthy earned his first victory in for New York with an impressive debut in pinstripes and Brett Gardner drove in three runs from the leadoff spot to send the Yankees past Cincinnati. Carlos Beltran homered, Kelly Johnson hit a two-run single to back McCarthy (1-0), who allowed 1 run and 6 hits, struck out 9 and walked none over 6 innings. McCarthy, acquired from Arizona on July 6, was making his first home start for New York. All-Star Alfredo Simon (12-4) gave up 4 runs -- 2 earned -- and 5 hits in 5 innings. He had been 6-0 with a 2.47 ERA in 8 starts since a 6-3 loss at Dodger Stadium on May 27.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

BLUE JAYS 4, RANGERS 1 Marcus Stroman (5-2) gave up four hits in seven shutout innings to break a three-start winless streak, and Dan Johnson had two RBI. Melky Cabrera had three hits as the Blue Jays won for the first time in four games. Aaron Loup picked up three outs for his third save. Colby Lewis (6-7) gave up 2 runs and 8 hits in 5 innings. Texas, which stopped an eight-game losing streak with Friday's 5-1 victory, has not strung together consecutive victories since beating Minnesota on June 27 and 28 and has the worst record in the major leagues at 39-58.

INDIANS 6-5, TIGERS 2-2 Carlos Santana hit a tiebreaking, bases-clearing double with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting visiting Cleveland to a victory over Detroit that sealed a sweep of the doubleheader. Cleveland won the first game thanks to Corey Kluber’s strong outing.

RAYS 5, TWINS 1 David Price pitched eight scoreless innings and visiting Tampa Bay beat Minnesota for its fourth consecutive victory.

RED SOX 2, ROYALS 1 Rubby De La Rosa pitched seven solid innings and Mike Napoli hit a tiebreaking home run to lift host Boston to a victory over Kansas City.

WHITE SOX 4, ASTROS 3 Tyler Flowers had three hits and drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning to lead host Chicago to a victory over Houston.

Sports on 07/20/2014