Cardinals 3, Royals 2
ST. LOUIS -- Tyler Lyons earned his first victory in more than two years by allowing only three hits over five innings as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Kansas City Royals, 3-2, on Saturday.
It was Lyons' first win since May 28, 2013, when he earned his second career by beating Kansas City, 4-1, in his second career start. Since that game, Lyons had gone 0-8 in 13 starts scattered across three seasons.
Lyons, recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Friday when Lance Lynn was placed on the disabled list, struck out six and walked one in helping the Cardinals move 20 games over .500 at 41-21.
The only two seasons the Cardinals reached 41 victories in fewer games were in 1941 and 1944, when they recorded their 41st victory in their 59th games.
Lyons left the game after the fifth when the game was interrupted by a 24-minute rain delay, but five relievers combined to preserve the one-run lead over the final four innings.
Trevor Rosenthal recorded the final four outs to earn his league-leading 21st save.
Mark Reynolds' fourth home run of the season snapped a 2-2 tie in the fifth, allowing the Cardinals to raise their home record to a major-league best 24-7.
It was the first home run by the Cardinals at Busch Stadium in a span of 165 at-bats and only their second in 231 at-bats. The home run came off Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie (4-4).
The Cardinals staked Lyons to a 2-1 lead in the third, only to see him give it back to the Royals on the next batter he faced, Salvador Perez, who led off the fourth with his 10th home run of the year.
In the third, Kolten Wong led off with a triple, the third by the Cardinals in two days, and scored on a single by Matt Carpenter to tie the game, 1-1.
Consecutive two-out singles by Reynolds, Yadier Molina and Jason Heyward produced the second run.
The rally came after Kansas City had gone in front, 1-0, in the second on a home run by Alex Gordon, his eighth of the season.
Gordon, the only left-handed hitter in the starting lineup for the Royals, was only the second left-handed hitter to hit a home run off Lyons in 97 career at-bats in the major leagues.
The first was Jay Bruce of the Reds on June 8, 2013.
Lyons had not been involved in the decision in three previous starts this season, when he was replacing the injured Adam Wainwright in the rotation before he was optioned to Memphis.
NOTES: The Royals placed LHP Jason Vargas on the disabled list because of a left flexor strain before Saturday's game, apparently caused by taking batting practice in preparation for interleague games, manager Ned Yost said. LHP Brandon Finnegan was recalled from Triple A Omaha, and RHP Joe Blanton is expected to take Vargas' spot in the rotation. ... After having to leave Friday night's game after three innings because of numbness in his fingers, RHP Yordano Ventura was feeling better Saturday and Yost said he hopes Ventura will be able to make his next start. ... The Cardinals expect their top pick in this week's draft, high school OF Nick Plummer, to be in St. Louis on Monday to take his physical and sign his contract. ... Because of Vargas' injury, LHP Chris Young will move up a day to start for the Royals on Sunday, while John Lackey will start for the Cardinals.