Cardinals 7, Dodgers 1
LOS ANGELES -- Right fielder Jason Heyward and second baseman Kolten Wong each drove in a pair of runs, sparking the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-1 rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night before a crowd of 45,058 at Dodger Stadium.
Cardinals starter Michael Wacha limited the Dodgers to a run and scattered seven hits with five strikeouts and no walks in seven innings. Wacha avenged Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Dodgers, who he no-hit for five innings before they touched him up for four runs.
The only run Wacha (8-1) surrendered Thursday was a sacrifice fly by left fielder Alex Guerrero. Wacha, who has captured six decisions on the road, is tied for the major league lead in wins.
Carlos Frias allowed five runs (three earned) on 10 hits with three strikeouts and three walks (one intentionally) in 6 2/3 innings for the Dodgers. Frias (4-3) gave up a run on five hits in Saturday's win over the Cardinals.
Wong, who went 2-for-4 with a walk, lined a two-run double in the eighth to cap the scoring for St. Louis (36-18), which has the best record in the majors. The Cardinals won their third straight and defeated Los Angeles (31-23) for the third in four meetings with Los Angeles (31-23) this season.
Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta went 3-for-4 with an RBI. First baseman Mark Reynolds and left fielder Matt Holliday also drove in a run apiece.
Los Angeles center fielder Joc Pederson, who went 1-for-4 with a double, had his streak of home runs in five consecutive games end.
St. Louis shortstop Jhonny Peralta's RBI single with two outs in the first brought home third baseman Matt Carpenter, who reached on an error by Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, for a 1-0 lead. First baseman Mark Reynolds followed with a run-scoring hit to right, driving in left fielder Matt Holliday to make it 2-0.
In the fifth, Holliday's sacrifice fly to right scored second baseman Kolten Wong for a 3-0 advantage. A two-run single to right by right fielder Jason Heyward put the Cardinals up 5-0.
NOTES: High blood pressure prevented Los Angeles RHP Kenley Jansen from working Wednesday in the Dodgers' loss to the Colorado Rockies, who rallied from a two-run deficit against the Los Angeles bullpen for a 7-6 win. Jansen, though, was cleared medically and available for the opener of the four-game series against the Cardinals. ... Dodgers 2B Howie Kendrick wasn't in the starting lineup because of a sore knee. He was injured sliding into third during Wednesday's loss to the Rockies. Enrique Hernandez started in his place. ... Cardinals RHP Carlos Martinez (5-2, 3.13 ERA) will face Dodgers LHP Brett Anderson (2-3, 3.42) on Friday.