Padres 2 - 4 Cardinals
Final
  for this game

Cardinals, Padres resume set at Busch Stadium

Aug 15, 2014 - 2:48 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The St. Louis Cardinals try to make it three straight wins on Friday when they continue a four-game series with the San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis drew first blood in this set on Thursday, as Jon Jay's pinch-hit, two-run double in the eighth inning helped give the Cardinals a 4-3 win.

"As a pinch-hitter you have to be ready to go," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Jay. "He was ready."

Jhonny Peralta hit a two-run home run for the Cardinals, who are just two games back of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central, but occupy the top wild card spot in the league.

John Lackey pitched seven strong innings, giving up two runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Seth Maness (4-2) nabbed the win for tossing a 1-2-3 eighth.

Jedd Gyorko and Rymer Liriano each drove in a run for the Padres, who had a five-game winning streak stopped.

Eric Stults had a strong start, allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout over seven innings. Alex Torres (1-1) didn't get an out in the eighth, however, as he allowed two runs on two hits and a walk.

Getting the call for the Cardinals on Friday will be righty Lance Lynn, who is 12-8 with a 2.97 ERA. Lynn defeated Baltimore on Sunday, as he surrendered three runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.

"He was great. (His innings) all weren't easy," Matheny said. "They were stressful, everyone except one, and he seemed to make it happen. That's the kind of pitcher he's developing into."

Lynn was beaten by San Diego and Friday starter Tyson Ross back on July 29 and is 1-2 with a 4.24 ERA in three starts against the Padres.

Ross, meanwhile, won his career-best fourth straight decision on Sunday in Pittsburgh, as he held the Pirates to a pair of runs and six hits in six innings to run his record to 11-10 on the year to go along with a 2.63 ERA.

The 27-year-old right-hander is 5-2 with a 1.53 ERA in eight starts since the beginning of July. Only Corey Kluber's 1.33 ERA for Cleveland and Clayton Kershaw's 1.42 for the Los Angeles Dodgers are better among qualifying pitchers.

Ross gave up a run and four hits in six innings in his start versus the Cardinals. That was his only starting effort against them, but he has pitched to a 1.00 ERA in four outings versus the Cardinals.

San Diego took two of three from the Cards in late July.






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