Cardinals 5, Royals 3
Daniel Descalso delivered a two-run single to cap a four-run eighth inning as host St. Louis rallied from a 3-1 deficit to send Kansas City to its eighth straight loss.
Carlos Beltran started the surge off Aaron Crow (0-1) with his 12th homer and David Freese tied the game with an RBI single before Descalso’s hit up the middle. St. Louis won for the seventh time in eight games and beat the Royals for the sixth straight time.
The Royals wasted a strong performance from starter Luis Mendoza, who allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings and had his first career hit, a two-out, run-scoring single to make it 2-0 in the fifth. Right fielder David Lough went 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored and threw out a runner at the plate.
Randy Choate (1-0) picked up the win in relief and Edward Mujica earned his 17th save in as many opportunities with a perfect ninth.
Beltran and Matt Holliday homered for the second straight game as
the Cardinals improved their major league-best record to 35-17.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Royals have scored 16 runs in their eight-game skid. … Mendoza has allowed three or fewer earned runs in each of his last five outings. … Cardinals starter Lance Lynn allowed two runs and eight hits over seven innings, fanning four.