Cardinals 4, Cubs 1
Kyle Lohse pitched seven strong innings and host St. Louis snapped Ryan Dempster’s scoreless inning streak while halting its two-game skid.
Lohse (10-2) allowed one run and six hits to win his fourth consecutive decision for the Cardinals, who took control with three first-inning runs.
Dempster (5-4) entered the contest with five straight victories and a franchise-record 33-inning scoreless streak, but St. Louis strung together four straight singles in the first to put an end to both streaks.
Carlos Beltran’s single to left-center field plated the first run and Yadier Molina followed with a run-scoring base hit to right-center field. The third run scored on Lance Berkman’s groundout.
After Chicago got on the board in the second on a sacrifice fly by Darwin Barney, St. Louis restored its three-run lead on Matt Holliday’s third-inning homer - a blast that traveled an estimated 469 feet, the longest shot since the current Busch Stadium opened in 2006.
Jason Motte worked a flawless ninth for his 21st save in 25 opportunities.
Dempster allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out two and walked two.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Lohse has allowed two or fewer runs in six straight starts. … Cubs OF David DeJesus had two hits and is 11-for-23 lifetime against Lohse. … Holliday reached base three times on two hits and a walk in his first action since leaving Tuesday’s game with a thigh injury. … Chicago dropped to 14-33 on the road.