ST. LOUIS (AP) — Pedro Pagés hit a two-run homer, Sonny Gray pitched into the seventh inning and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 Friday night in a game that started after a 1 hour, 17 minute rain delay.
Willson Contreras hit his sixth homer of the season in the eighth inning off Chris Stratton, who was re-signed by Los Angeles before the game, and Nolan Arenado had three hits to help St. Louis improve to a National League-best 21-9 since May 4.
Gray (7-1) allowed eight hits and struck out five without walking a batter in 6 1/3 innings to earn his second win against the Dodgers in eight career starts against them.
JoJo Romero, Phil Maton and Steven Matz combined to pitch 2 2/3 innings in relief to secure the Cardinals’ eighth shutout of the season.
Pagés lined the first pitch he saw from Justin Wrobleski (1-2) over the left-center field bullpen in the second inning for his fifth home run of the season to put St. Louis ahead 2-0.
Brendan Donovan blooped a two-out, two-run single to center field in the fifth inning to push the Cardinals' lead to 4-0.
Wrobleski allowed four runs on six hits and three walks in a career-best six innings after being recalled from triple-A Oklahoma City prior to the game.
Key moment
Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts each singled to lead off the third inning. However, Gray struck out Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández, and Max Muncy flew out to right field to end the Dodgers' threat.
Key stat
Gray has tossed 20 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to the sixth inning of his start on May 25 against Arizona. Gray has not allowed a run in four of his last six starts.
Up next
Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-4, 2.39 ERA) is scheduled to face Cardinals RHP Erick Fedde (3-5, 3.82) on Saturday.
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