Wainwright pitches Cardinals to shutout win over Rockies
ST. LOUIS -- Adam Wainwright had his best start of the season Wednesday night, shutting out the Colorado Rockies for 6 2/3 innings, and Matt Holliday drove in two runs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 2-0 victory.
The loss stopped a five-game winning streak for the Rockies.
Making his ninth start of the season, Wainwright snapped a streak in which he had allowed at least three earned runs in all eight of his previous starts. He still won three of the last four, getting a no-decision in the other game.
Wainwright scattered six hits, struck out five and walked one in his longest outing of the season. It was the first time this year the Cardinals won scoring three runs or less, having been 0-12 in those games before Wednesday night.
Wainwright left with runners on first and third in the seventh, but Kevin Siegrist struck out Charlie Blackmon to end the inning before also pitching a perfect eighth. Trevor Rosenthal completed the shutout, earning his eighth save.
The Rockies were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
The loss went to Chris Rusin, who has not won a start on the road since Aug. 9, 2013 at St. Louis, when he was with the Cubs. He fell to 0-10 in 18 road starts since that game. It was his fourth road start this season, having not been involved in the decision in the first three.
Rusin allowed six hits, walked two and struck out five in six innings.
The Cardinals gave Wainwright a 2-0 lead in the third. Matt Carpenter drew a leadoff walk and, after Stephen Piscotty singled, both scored on a double to left by Matt Holliday, which broke his 0-for-15 slump.
The Rockies had a couple of early scoring chances, but each time Wainwright was able to pitch out of the jam. Blackmon led off the first with a triple, but was thrown out at the plate on a grounder by Trevor Story. Aledmys Diaz's 10th error cost Wainwright an inning-ending double play, but he retired Carlos Gonzalez and Mark Reynolds to strand both runners.
In the third, Blackmon and Story delivered back-to-back singles with one out before Wainwright retired Nolan Arenado and Gonzalez on fly balls to center.
Wainwright also pitched around a leadoff double by Mark Reynolds in the fourth, stranding him at third.
Arenado bailed Rusin out of his own jam in the bottom of the first. A double by Piscotty, an error by Story and a walk loaded the bases with one out, but Arenado started an inning-ending double play with a diving stop on a hard-hit ball from Yadier Molina.
NOTES: Rockies LHP Jorge De La Rosa is set to make a third start Thursday during a rehab assignment at Triple-A Albuquerque. De La Rosa, coming back from a groin injury, lasted a combined 7 2/3 innings in his first two rehab starts. ... Cardinals SS Jhonny Peralta, out since undergoing surgery on his left thumb in spring training, took batting practice on the field for the first time before Wednesday night's game and could go on a rehab assignment next week. ... RHP Alex Reyes, the Cardinals' top prospect who has been serving a 50-game suspension for testing positive for marijuana, is set to make his season debut on Sunday for Triple-A Memphis. ... The Cardinals' home game on June 5 vs. the Giants has been switched from a day game to 7:05 p.m. so it can be televised by ESPN.