Lynn pitches 6 sparkling innings as the Cardinals blank the Reds 2-0 for a 4-game series split
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Lance Lynn pitched six sparkling innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 on Sunday for a split of their four-game series.
Lynn (4-3) allowed two hits, struck out six and walked one.
Pedro Pagés had a career-high three hits for St. Louis, which closed out a 7-3 homestand.
Cincinnati infielder Jonathan India extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a double in the third. He has at least one double in each of his last eight games.
Stuart Fairchild singled in the fifth to account for the Reds’ only other hit. He stole second but was stranded when Will Benson lined to right and Luke Maile struck out swinging.
The Cardinals went ahead to stay in the bottom half against Hunter Greene (5-4). Pagés singled and moved up on Masyn Winn’s one-out single. Pagés scored on Alec Burleson’s single to right.
Winn added a run-scoring double off Fernando Cruz in the sixth.
Greene (5-4) allowed four hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked two.
Lynn threw first-pitch strikes to 18 of 21 batters. Ryan Helsley struck out two in a perfect ninth for his major league-high 30th save. Helsley has converted his last 30 opportunities, a franchise record.
St. Louis concluded June with 17 wins, its most since going 18-8 in 2015 on the way to a 105-win campaign.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: C Iván Herrera began swinging a bat on Sunday and will catch a bullpen session over the next few days. He has missed the last 10 games with lower back tightness.
UP NEXT
Reds: RHP Graham Ashcraft (4-4, 5.45 ERA) takes on Yankees RHP Luis Gil (9-3, 3.15 ERA) in the opener of a three-game set on Tuesday in New York.
Cardinals: RHP Kyle Gibson (5-3, 3.70 ERA) will face Pittsburgh RHP Mitch Keller (9-4, 3.20 ERA) on Tuesday in Pittsburgh. Gibson is 2-1 with a 3.65 ERA in four career starts against the Pirates.
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