Cardinals beat Pirates to end three-game skid
ST. LOUIS -- Lance Lynn outdueled Ivan Nova, and Kolten Wong hit his first homer of the season to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.
The Cardinals ended a three-game losing streak while winning with fewer than four runs for the first time this season.
The Pirates lost for the first time in four games and also continued their streak of not winning a game this year in which they scored fewer than four runs, dropping to 0-7 in those contest.
Lynn (1-1) gave up just three hits, struck out five and walked one over seven innings. He hit two batters -- both times Josh Harrison.
Harrison was also hit by a pitch in his last two plate appearances on Sunday in Chicago. He finally broke that streak with a groundout in the seventh.
Trevor Rosenthal worked a perfect eighth inning before Seung Hwan Oh pitched the ninth, earning the Cardinals' first save of the season despite allowing an RBI single by pinch hitter Gregory Polanco that pulled the Pirates within 2-1.
Nova (1-2) allowed only four hits other than the Wong home run in the third inning as he pitched an eight-inning complete game. Three of the hits were consecutive singles in the seventh, with Jose Martinez getting the RBI.
Nova struck out three and extended his streak of innings without issuing a walk to 20. He threw just 78 pitches.
Wong was hitting just .148 coming into Monday night's game and was hitless in his past 10 at-bats. The homer, which came on the first pitch, was the seventh of Wong's career against the Pirates in 48 games, the most he has hit against any opponent.
It also was the first home run allowed by Nova in his past 42 innings dating back to last season.
NOTES: 1B Matt Carpenter was a late scratch from the Cardinals' lineup because of a swollen finger. He was hurt fielding a ball in the Sunday night game ... Pirates OF Gregory Polanco was not in the starting lineup for the third consecutive game because of discomfort in his right groin, but he pinch-hit in the ninth. It is likely he will be able to play on Tuesday. ... Cardinals LHP Tyler Lyons (right knee) made his third start during a rehab assignment for Triple-A Memphis on Monday and threw 73 pitches in 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits. ... The Pirates acquired RHP Johnny Barbato from the Yankees for a player to be named later or cash. Barbato, 24, was added to the 40-man roster and optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. ... Cardinals RHP Mike Leake (1-1, 0.60 ERA) will start in the second game of the series Tuesday night against Pirates RHP Chad Kuhl (0-0, 2.38 ERA).