Rays 3 - 0 Cardinals
Final
  for this game

Cards, Lynn attempt to halt Rays' winning streak

Jul 23, 2014 - 2:56 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Lance Lynn aims to join the 12-win club on Wednesday evening when the St. Louis Cardinals attempt to halt the Tampa Bay Rays' longest winning streak of the season in the finale of a two-game set.

Lynn has won three straight starts to get to 11-6 with a 3.13 earned run average on the year. Only four other pitchers in baseball have more victories than the right-hander, including teammate Adam Wainwright.

Lynn stayed in the win column on Friday as he held the Los Angeles Dodgers to a pair of runs on four hits and four walks in six-plus innings of work, adding nine strikeouts.

The 27-year-old has yielded just four runs and fanned 19 over 19 1/3 innings on his win streak.

"He's got a lot of wins and there's a reason, because he's got great stuff and he knows how to win," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Lynn.

The hurler will make his first career start versus the Rays, although he did give up three runs in one previous inning of relief work against them.

Tampa Bay will try to extend its winning streak tonight behind Alex Cobb, who also has won three consecutive decisions, a streak he extended with Friday's 6-2 decision over Minnesota.

The 26-year-old righty yielded two runs on five hits and a pair of walks over 5 2/3 innings, moving to 5-6 with a 4.08 ERA on the year.

Cobb has never before faced the Cardinals.

Wainwright was aiming for his 13th win of the season on Tuesday, but instead struggled in a 7-2 loss that saw the Rays win their sixth game in a row.

Wainwright was tagged for six runs --- four earned -- on six hits and a season high-tying four walks over 4 2/3 innings.

Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday each had a solo home run for St. Louis, which had won four of six coming in.

Tampa starter Jake Odorizzi picked up the victory, charged with two runs over 5 2/3 innings while striking out eight and driving in a run at the plate.

"We had a lot of swings out of the zone and up," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "(Odorizzi) did a nice job of staying under control."

Yunel Escobar knocked in a pair of runs and Evan Longoria homered to give him a Tampa Bay record 593 RBI in his career. Longoria passed the previous mark held by Carl Crawford.

"We played really well," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "Up and down, the lineup played well."

The Cardinals split a two-game set with the hosting Rays in June and are taking on Tampa Bay in St. Louis for the first time since 2008.






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