Ten more days until Matt Kemp is eligible to return from the disabled list.

But as Kemp remains stuck on the railing of the Dodgers’ dugout recovering from a strained hamstring, something strange is happening.

The Dodgers continue winning.

The Dodgers’ 6-5 walk-off victory over the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing of their National League-leading 26 wins, but it was probably their most significant.

Immediately after closer Kenley Jansen served up a tying solo home run to pinch-hitter Lance Berkman in the top of the ninth inning, the Dodgers loaded the bases for catcher A.J. Ellis, who drew a walk-off walk off Fernando Salas.

“This shows our character,” Ellis said.

The Cardinals began the game as the best-hitting and highest-scoring team in the NL, but the Dodgers out-hit them, 13-6.

A large share of the Dodgers’ production came from the unlikeliest of sources. Adam Kennedy, who began the game with a .186 average, reached base five times, going four for four with a walk. Slumping first baseman James Loney was three for four with a walk and two runs batted in. Every Dodgers starting position player except for leadoff hitter Dee Gordon reached base.

Almost lost in the celebrations were new injury concerns. Mark Ellis was upended by Tyler Greene at second base on a seventh-inning force and exited the game with a swelling in his lower part of his left leg.

Ellis said he didn’t know how long he would be out but was confident he would avoid the disabled list.

The bottom half of the Dodgers’ lineup starting coming to life in the second inning. Kennedy, who was batting fifth for the second consecutive day, doubled to right-center. He scored on a double hit to the same part of the park by Loney, who, in turn, scored on a single to left by A.J. Ellis. Tony Gwynn Jr. tripled to right field to drive in Ellis and increase the margin to 3-0.

The lead didn’t last long.

Greene reached base on a bunt single. A.J. Ellis tried to pick off Greene, but his throw from home sailed past first baseman Loney, who wasn’t prepared to receive it. Greene moved to second.

The miscue was followed by a strikeout by Shane Robinson, but he too reached base on a third-strike wild pitch by Ted Lilly.

Greene later scored on a sacrifice fly by Rafael Furcal to reduce the Cardinals’ deficit to 3-1.

With Robinson on third base, Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly was ejected for protesting an on-field ruling that Matt Carpenter checked his swing on a potential strike-three pitch.

The inning devolved from there. Carpenter singled in Robinson to move the Cardinals to within 3-2. The next batter, Matt Holliday, sent the ball halfway up the left-field pavilion to put the Cardinals ahead, 4-3.

Because of Ellis’ throwing error, all four runs were unearned.

Lilly didn’t give up any runs over the remainder of the seven innings he pitched and lowered his earned-run average from 2.11 to 1.79, the lowest among Dodgers starters. He limited the Cardinals to four hits and no walks, and struck out six.

The Dodgers responded immediately, as Kennedy singled in Mark Ellis to tie the score, 4-4.

The four runs scored against Lance Lynn were the most charged to the Cardinals starter this season.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com

Tyler Greene hit a career-high two homers and drove in four runs, Adam Wainwright continued his dominance of the Astros and the St. Louis Cardinals got an 8-1 win over Houston on Sunday.  

The victory breaks a season-long five-game winning streak for the Astros and ends a three-game skid for the Cardinals.

Allen Craig also homered for St. Louis, getting things going with a two-run shot in the first inning.  

Greene’s two-run home run in the fourth pushed the lead to 6-0 and his solo homer in the eighth made it 8-1.

Wainwright (2-3) allowed seven hits and one run with seven strikeouts in seven innings. He improved to 10-1 in 17 career appearances against the Astros — his most wins against any team.

Houston starter J.A. Happ (2-2) allowed six hits and a season-high six runs — five earned — in five innings.

Greene entered the game with eight hits in 18 games this season.

His performance on Sunday, where he finished 3 for 3 with a walk, doubled the RBI total he had entering the game.  

Carlos Lee and Jed Lowrie hit consecutive singles in the fourth inning before Travis Buck grounded into a force out that left Lowrie out at second. A wild pitch allowed Lee to score to make it 6-1.

Greene walked and stole second base in the sixth inning before scoring on a two-out single by Rafael Furcal.  

Matt Holliday walked in the first before Craig’s two-out homer, which bounced high on the wall above the Crawford Boxes in left field, gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead.

The Cardinals added a run in the second on an RBI double by Greene to make it 3-0.  

Carlos Beltran walked to start the third inning. He was out at second on a fielder’s choice on a grounder by Holliday. Holliday, who tripped leaving the plate, reached second on an error by Jose Altuve. A double by Craig sent Holliday home to push the lead to 4-0.  

Jay robbed pinch-hitter Justin Maxwell of a hit with a nifty catch while sliding to his knees near the wall in left center field in the fifth inning. Brian Bogusevic one-upped him in the seventh when he denied David Freese of a home run when he jumped and reached back into the stands in right field for the catch.

Houston’s Jordan Schafer went 0 for 4 to end his streak of reaching safely in 25 straight games to start the season. The mark ties a franchise record which was also reached by Denis Menke in 1969.  

NOTES: St. Louis 1B Lance Berkman, on the 15-day disabled list with a pulled left calf, experienced some discomfort when he ran on Friday, but felt better when he ran again on Sunday. “I want to get to where I can’t even feel it at all and it’s not there yet,” he said. “But it’s a marked improvement over two days ago. I’m going to try to run again (Monday) and try to push it a little bit more.” … Sunday was Altuve’s 22nd birthday.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton earned the nickname “Ground Chuck” last season for his ability to get grounders and keep the ball in the park.

But as Morton discovered during Tuesday night’s 10-7 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, when he’s up in the strike zone, the ball can go a long way.

Morton (1-2) allowed just six homers last season, the fewest in the majors among pitchers with at least 100 innings. The second one he’s served up this year was David Freese’s tiebreaking, three-run shot to right-center in the fifth, Freese’s sixth overall and third in five games.

Given the location of what was supposed to be a sinker in, Morton was not surprised where it landed.

“It was just up,” Morton said. “It didn’t do anything. It stayed up and he did a great job of staying back and hitting it to right-center.”

The Cardinals had dinged Morton for two early runs, but he was holding his own until losing control in the fifth. Matt Holliday singled with one out and Carlos Beltran walked ahead of Freese’s homer.

“He had a chance to get out (of it) but the ball just got up and flat and he missed spots,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He missed a lot of spots tonight and they did what they’re supposed to do and what they’ve been doing for a while now.”

The Pirates topped five runs, their season best for the first 21 games, for the second straight night after beating Atlanta 9-3 on Monday. But they committed four errors, matching their season worst April 20 also against the Cardinals in a 4-1 loss, leading to four unearned runs.

Morton gave up six runs, five earned, in 4 1-3 innings. Two starts ago he allowed one earned run in five innings in a 4-1 loss to the Cardinals.

“However the guys get on, they get on, and you have to make pitches and get out of situations,” Morton said. “However they get on, you have to do your job.”

Adam Wainwright worked seven solid innings for his first win since September 2010. Holliday homered in the sixth off Jared Hughes to cap a three-hit night with two RBIs.

Allen Craig had two hits and an RBI in his season debut after rehabbing from knee surgery performed last fall shortly after he belted three homers in the World Series. Rafael Furcal had two hits, including his first homer, a two-run shot off Tony Watson in the seventh that made it 10-4.

Wainwright (1-3) was hurt only by the long ball in his fifth start of the season, allowing five hits but giving up two-run homers to Jose Tabata in the third and Pedro Alvarez in the seventh. The right-hander totaled 39 wins from 2009-10 but missed last season following reconstructive elbow surgery, and became the last member of the rotation to get a win this year.

His previous victory was his 20th of the 2010 season.

“I think if you look at 90 percent of my game today, it was pretty good,” Wainwright said. “I feel like each time I’m getting a little sharper.”

Tabata ended a 140-at-bat homer drought dating to Aug. 17, 2011, against the Cardinals’ Kyle Lohse. Alvarez was the first Pirates player to reach double figures in RBIs with his sixth homer and a run-scoring single, giving him 12 on the year. Garret Jones has 10 RBIs after an RBI single off Fernando Salas in the eighth cut the deficit to three.

“We’re always finishing and grinding it out,” Alvarez said. “We’re playing to the last pitch. Maybe if we played a little better defense earlier in the game, we don’t find ourselves in that kind of a situation.”

Jason Motte worked the ninth for his fourth save in five chances.

Plate umpire C.B. Buckner left the game due to illness during a pitching change with one out in the bottom of the seventh and a crew of three finished the game, with second base ump Dan Iassogna moving behind the plate. Buckner briefly went to the St. Louis clubhouse for attention during a break between innings before calling it a night.

NOTES: Lance Lynn (4-0, 1.33 ERA), off to a great start as the stand-in for injured ace Chris Carpenter , opposes A.J. Burnett (1-1, 1.38) in the second game of the three-game series Wednesday. … Slow-footed Cardinals C Yadier Molina is 4 for 4 in steals. He caught Morton so unaware in the fourth there was no throw and was on the front end of a double steal in the seventh that prompted a wild throw from catcher Rod Barajas , allowing a run to score. … Morton did not miss injured Cardinals 1B Lance Berkman , who is 8 for 14 with two homers and six RBIs against him.

Adam Wainwright worked seven solid innings for his first win since September 2010, and the St. Louis Cardinals got big nights at the plate from David Freese and Matt Holliday to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-7 on Tuesday.

Freese’s sixth home run and third in five games was a tiebreaking, three-run shot off Charlie Morton (1-2) in the fifth. Holliday homered in the sixth off Jared Hughes to cap a three-hit night with two RBIs.

Allen Craig had two hits and an RBI in his season debut after rehabbing from knee surgery performed last fall shortly after he belted three homers in the World Series. Rafael Furcal had two hits, including his first homer _ a two-run shot off Tony Watson in the seventh that made it 10-4.

Wainwright (1-3) was hurt only by the long ball in his fifth start of the season, allowing five hits but giving up two-run homers to Jose Tabata in the third and Pedro Alvarez in the seventh. The right-hander totaled 39 wins from 2009-10 but missed last season following reconstructive elbow surgery, and became the last member of the rotation to get a win this year.

His previous victory was his 20th of the 2010 season.

In his first four starts, the Cardinals didn’t score while Wainwright was in the game. This time, he left with a 7-4 cushion. Wainwright’s ERA remains unsightly at 6.75, the highest at any point during his career as a starter, but he’s made strides the last two outings, with the Cubs getting one run in six innings April 24.

The Pirates topped five runs, their season best for the first 21 games, for the second straight night after beating Atlanta 9-3 on Monday. But they committed four errors, matching their season worst April 20 also against the Cardinals in a 4-1 loss, leading to four unearned runs.

Tabata ended a 140-at-bat homer drought dating to Aug. 17, 2011, against the Cardinals’ Kyle Lohse. Alvarez was the first Pirates player to reach double figures in RBIs with his sixth homer and a run-scoring single giving him 12 on the year. Garret Jones has 10 RBIs after an RBI single off Fernando Salas in the eighth cut the deficit to three.

Jason Motte worked the ninth for his fourth save in five chances.

Plate umpire C.B. Buckner left the game due to illness during a pitching change with one out in the bottom of the seventh and a crew of three finished the game, with second base ump Dan Iassogna moving behind the plate. Buckner briefly went to the St. Louis clubhouse for attention during a break between innings before calling it a night.

Morton was the toughest pitcher to homer against in the majors last season, allowing just six in 171 2-3 innings, with five by left-handed hitters. Freese’s sixth of the season was the second in 21 1-3 innings this year, both by right-handed hitters. Ramon Hernandez of Colorado connected in Morton’s previous start.

Wainwright has allowed six homers in 26 2-3 innings, twice as many as anyone else in the rotation. In 2010, he permitted 15 homers in 230 1-3 innings.

NOTES: Lance Lynn (4-0, 1.33 ERA), off to a great start as the stand-in for injured ace Chris Carpenter, opposes A.J. Burnett (1-1, 1.38) in the second game of the three-game series Wednesday. … Slow-footed Cardinals C Yadier Molina is 4 for 4 in steals. He caught Morton so unaware in the fourth there was no throw and was on the front end of a double steal in the seventh that prompted a wild throw from catcher Rod Barajas, allowing a run to score. … Morton did not miss injured Cardinals 1B Lance Berkman, who is 8 for 14 with two homers and six RBIs against him. … Jon Jay and Molina each had two hits, and both have nine hits in the first four games of a six-game homestand.

ST. LOUIS — Yovani Gallardo’s struggles against the St. Louis Cardinals have been well-documented.

But on Friday night at Busch Stadium, the Milwaukee Brewers’ National League Central Division nemesis added a whole new painful chapter to the right-hander’s book of woes.

Swinging aggressively from the outset, the Cardinals battered Gallardo for eight hits, eight earned runs and two walks in just two innings. When all was said and done, the Brewers had dropped their fifth consecutive road game in embarrassing fashion, 13-1.

It was the shortest start of Gallardo’s career and the second beating he’s taken at the hands of the Cardinals this year. They roughed him up for seven hits (including four home runs), six earned runs and five walks in a 3 2/3-inning loss on opening day at Miller Park.

In 13 starts against St. Louis, Gallardo is 1-9 with a 7.05 earned-run average.

“I’ve been feeling good, been throwing the ball good, and then to have a game like this, it’s very frustrating,” said Gallardo, who’d gone seven innings in each of his previous three outings. “It sucks.”

The Brewers have now lost three of four this season to the Cardinals. St. Louis sits atop the NL Central standings at 13-7 despite the off-season loss of slugger Albert Pujols and the absence of No. 1 starter Chris Carpenter, who has yet to pitch because of neck and shoulder problems .

The 9-11 Brewers, tied for second and three games back, aren’t pushing the panic button quite yet.

“I don’t think there’s anything I need to say to the guys,” manager Ron Roenicke said. “It’s trying to get ‘Yo’ back on track, and let’s see if we can get him going.”

As of Wednesday, Marco Estrada had been scheduled to start Friday and Gallardo Saturday. But with a day off Thursday, the decision was made to keep Gallardo on his normal schedule and push Estrada back to Saturday.

Gallardo even had a one-run lead when he took the mound, courtesy an RBI single by Aramis Ramirez. It marked the first time in nine games the Brewers had scored before their opponent.

But after a scoreless first, things got rocky quickly for Gallardo.

Two singles and a triple gave St. Louis a 2-1 lead in the second. Then in the third, St. Louis blew the game wide open. Six Cardinals came to the plate against Gallardo, who gave up a single, walk, single, single off second base, walk and double before finally being replaced by Mike McClendon.

“I just fell behind in the count and left pitches up in the zone,” Gallardo said. “And when I did get a ground ball, it just seemed to find a hole somewhere. That one up the middle (by David Freese) hits the bag. That’s how the whole inning went.

“It just fell apart after that.”

Have Gallardo’s struggles against St. Louis become mental at this point?

ST. LOUIS — Milwaukee starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo is well aware of his struggles against the St. Louis Cardinals.

He simply doesn’t know how to correct the problem.

Gallardo’s woes continued Friday night as he gave up eight earned runs in a two-inning stint during a 13-1 loss at St. Louis. Gallardo fell to 1-9 with a 7.05 ERA in 13 career regular-season starts against the Cardinals.

“He wasn’t locating the ball at all,” manager Ron Roenicke said. “Everything went wrong.”

Gallardo (1-2) surrendered just four earned runs in three seven-inning starts prior to Friday’s contest. But he gave up eight runs on seven hits in the third inning. He also gave up six earned runs in 3 2/3 innings of an 11-5 loss to St. Louis on April 6.

“In the two or three starts I had before tonight, I just went out there and pitched my game,” Gallardo said. “I wasn’t thinking about too much. Today, I tried to do everything. I tried to do a lot more than I am capable of.”

Roenicke says the problem could be mental.

“Any time a team hits you like that, there are a lot of mental doubts,” Roenicke said.

The St. Louis hitters gave Jake Westbrook plenty of offensive support this time around setting season highs for runs in an inning.

St. Louis won for the eighth time in its last 12. Milwaukee has lost three of five.

Westbrook (3-1) gave up seven hits, struck out five and did not walk a batter. He has allowed two earned runs or less in all four of his starts this season.

Westbrook, who lowered his ERA to 1.30, was not given much help in a 2-0 loss at Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Cardinals managed just five hits in being shutout for the second time this season. Westbrook gave up two runs on seven hits but suffered his first loss of the season.

The St. Louis hitters made up for that goose-egg in a big way Friday.

“The offense was huge for us, the runs helped a lot,” Westbrook said. “I was able to throw strikes, get ahead of guys, keep the pitch count down and get deep in the game.”

Jon Jay had three hits and drove in three runs to pace a 15-hit attack. Skip Schumaker added two hits and three RBIs, and Matt Holliday had three hits and knocked in a pair.

Jay and Matt Carpenter drove in two runs each in the third as the Cardinals sent 12 batters to the plate.

Carlos Beltran and David Freese drove in Jay and Holliday to start the eight-run outburst. Yadier Molina drew a walk and Carpenter ripped a 3-2 pitch off the center-field wall to push the lead to 6-1. Schumaker followed with a run-scoring hit and Jay added a two-run single. Holliday capped off the frame with a run-scoring single to right.

“We just go out there and have good at-bats,” Jay said. “You just try and keep the line moving and that’s why we’ve been able to do some things.”

The eight-run outburst seemed to energize Westbrook. He allowed just three hits over four innings following the explosion.

St. Louis last scored eight runs in the fifth inning of a 13-5 win over Chicago on July 30, 2011.

The Cardinals have scored nine runs or more five times this season.

Schumaker, who has five hits in his last 12 at-bats, was happy to give Westbrook the necessary support.

“Luckily we gave him a little cushion,” Schumaker said. “It seems like we’re getting seven innings out of him every single time. He’s on an incredible run. Hopefully it keeps going.”

St. Louis pounded out 11 hits over the first three innings on the way to a 10-1 lead.

“All the way through the lineup guys really swung the bats well,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “It was just a good offensive day. It was fun to watch.”

Milwaukee jumped to a 1-0 lead on successive singles by Nyjer Morgan, Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez in the first. Westbrook then got Corey Hart to ground into an inning-ending double play.

“He’s on a roll,” Roenicke said of Westbrook. “He’s throwing the ball down in the zone real well. He gets ground balls when he needs to.”

St. Louis starting pitchers have recorded 12 wins the season, the highest total in both leagues.

NOTES: Milwaukee had given up the first run in its previous eight games before scoring in the top of the first Friday. … Molina will be presented with his fourth consecutive Gold Glove award prior to Saturday’s game. … Kyle Lohse (3-0, 0.99 ERA) will face Milwaukee’s Marco Estrada (0-0, 2.45) in the second game of the three-game set on Saturday. … The Cardinals, who began a six-game homestand Friday, played 13 of their first 19 games on the road. … Carpenter leads the Cardinals with 10 RBI at home. … Ramirez has hit safely in his last five games.

Joe Mather was just happy to help the Cubs get a win. Beating his former teammates was pretty sweet, too.

Mather’s two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning rallied Chicago to a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.

“It just feels good,” Mather said. “The whole atmosphere in the stadium and in the clubhouse, in the dugout, everybody was just excited.”

Hard-throwing closer Jason Motte (1-1) had the Cubs down to their final strike when Mather, a former Cardinal, grounded a 2-2 slider up the middle, driving in Bryan LaHair and Geovany Soto.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t (extra satisfying),” Mather said. “I have a lot of good friends over there. It does feel good. When it comes down to it, ultimately we won a big league game and the self-satisfaction is secondary.”

While Mather got the winning hit, LaHair’s 12-pitch battle with Motte may have been the game’s key at-bat. After the count went full, LaHair fouled off six straight pitches before Motte missed with a fastball.

“I just don’t have any fear,” LaHair said about his patient approach. “That kind of situation, you have to just kind of relax and just breathe. Let the anxiety go.”

Motte then walked Soto, but said it wasn’t a matter of LaHair wearing him down.

“No, I’m out there still trying to make pitches,” Motte said. “I made some really good pitches, he just did a good job of fouling them off and keeping himself in the at-bat.”

Steve Clevenger’s grounder moved the runners up to set the plate for Mather, who was drafted by the Cardinals in 2001 and spent 10 seasons in the organization.

Mather fell behind 0-2 and angrily stalked out of the batter’s box after taking the second strike. He then took two pitches off the plate before lacing the game-ending single.

The hit made a winner of reliever Rafael Dolis (1-1), though for seven-plus innings the starters were the story of the game.

Jaime Garcia appeared to have outpitched Matt Garza as he threw just 85 pitches before departing with two outs in the eighth, striking out four batters and walking one.

“That was one hell of a game,” Garza said. “We came up big at the end. That’s awesome.”

Garza held St. Louis to two runs in seven innings, and has allowed three earned runs or fewer in his last 14 home starts, the longest streak by a Cubs pitcher since Mark Prior had 16 in a row over the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

St. Louis grabbed the lead in the fourth after Skip Schumaker led off with an infield single and went to third on Matt Holliday’s double down the left-field line. Schumaker scored on Carlos Beltran’s groundout, and Holliday scored on Yadier Molina’s sacrifice fly.

Garcia gave up a first-inning run when Alfonso Soriano’s sacrifice fly scored Darwin Barney, but he limited Chicago to just four hits over his final 62/3 innings. He was aided by double plays in the fifth and sixth.

“(Garcia) was terrific,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “You look at the run early on, and that was from two infield hits. Whenever he did get in a little spot, he got that extra movement, double plays.”

Barney singled twice, walked, and scored the Cubs’ only run. Castro legged out an infield single in the first, increasing his hitting streak to 11 games. He’s reached base in 56 of his last 57 games.

The Cubs went homerless for the ninth straight game, their longest drought since June 30 to July 13, 2007. Chicago is last in the majors with just five homers on the season, but on Monday, singles were enough.

“These are the kind of things you have to build on,” LaHair said.

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Lance Lynn allowed only an inside-the-park homer to Alex Presley in seven innings, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-1 victory the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Presley led off the bottom of the first with a drive off the top of the center field fence, the ball just eluding a leaping center fielder Skip Schumaker. It was just the Pirates’ second inside-the-parker at PNC Park since it opened in 2001.

Filling in nicely for injured ace Chris Carpenter, Lynn (3-0) gave up four hits. He walked one and struck out four. He has won each of his starts this season and compiled a 1.42 ERA while Carpenter has been on the disabled list with a nerve problem in his pitching shoulder. Lynn pitched primarily in relief last season as a rookie when St. Louis won the World Series.

Lynn also scored the go-ahead run on Carlos Beltran’s two-out single in the fifth inning off Charlie Morton (0-1).

Daniel Descalso homered for the NL Central-leading Cardinals, who won for the fifth time in six games.

Morton allowed two runs – one earned – and four hits in five innings with three walks and six strikeouts.

Mitchell Boggs and Jason Motte, who notched his third save in three tries, each pitched a hitless inning to complete the four-hitter for St. Louis.

After St. Louis tied it in the second inning on Yadier Molina’s RBI double, Lynn led off the fifth with a single. He took second on Rafael Furcal’s groundout, advanced to third on Matt Holliday’s fielder’s choice and scored on Beltran’s line hit to right field.

Descalso homered – a liner into the right-field stands – in the eighth off Jared Hughes to start a two-run inning. Furcal added a run-scoring double.

St. Louis had tied the game in the second when Yadier Molina’s double down the left field line scored Beltran, who reached first on Morton’s fielding error.

Presley opened the scoring by scampering around the bases when his drive . Jack Wilson hit the Pirates’ only other inside-the-park home run at PNC Park on July 2, 2004, and last Pittsburgh player to hit one was Freddy Sanchez at Houston on July 21, 2008.

Schumaker was shaken up on the play and left the game. He had been activated from the disabled list prior to the game after missing the first 13 games because of a strained right oblique.

NOTES: Schumaker was activated and 1B Lance Berkman was placed on the 15-day DL with a strained left calf. Schumaker’s rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis was cut short after four games because the Cardinals needed someone to fill in for CF Jon Jay, who sprained his right shoulder on Thursday and is day to day. Schumaker was 3 for 13 (.231) with two walks and two strikeouts at Memphis. . Pittsburgh RHP Jeff Karstens, who was removed from his start after one inning Tuesday and placed on the DL, will rest seven to 10 days before beginning a throwing program. The Pirates do not have a timetable for Karstens’ return. RHP Brad Lincoln is expected to start in Karstens’ place Monday night against Colorado. . Jake Westbrook (2-0, 0.64) will start for St. Louis against Kevin Correia (1-0, 1.50) on Saturday night. Westbrook is 0-3 with a 5.46 ERA in four career starts against the Pirates.

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Lance Lynn (31) delivers against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game on Friday, April 20, 2012, in Pittsburgh.

Photo by The Associated Press.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A detour to the bullpen has made Lance Lynn a better starting pitcher.

Lynn allowed only an inside-the-park homer to Alex Presley in seven innings, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Filling in nicely for injured ace Chris Carpenter, Lynn (3-0) gave up four hits. He walked one and struck out four. He has won each of his starts this season and compiled a 1.42 ERA while Carpenter has been on the disabled list with a nerve problem in his pitching shoulder. Lynn pitched primarily in relief last season as a rookie when St. Louis won the World Series.

“What I did when they moved me to the bullpen last year was challenge hitters, get ahead in the count and make them hit my pitch,” Lynn said. “When I was starting, I tried to nitpick. I’d get behind in the count and have to give the hitters good pitches to hit. I learned a lot from pitching out of the bullpen. I’m more aggressive and more confident now as a starter.”

Lynn showed that aggressive approach against Pittsburgh as he needed just 88 pitches to get through seven innings. He allowed four hits and one walk while striking out four.

“Efficient is the right word,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said in describing Lynn’s outing. “He had good life on the ball and later in the game he really mixed in all his pitches. He had a good tempo, a good rhythm with (catcher Yadier Molina). He really kept them off balance.”

Presley led off the bottom of the first with a drive off the top of the center field fence, the ball just eluding a leaping center fielder Skip Schumaker. Jack Wilson hit the Pirates’ only other inside-the-park home run at PNC Park on July 2, 2004, and the last Pittsburgh player to hit one was Freddy Sanchez at Houston on July 21, 2008.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Presley said. “I thought I had a triple for sure, and when I saw him miss it, I think he got hurt out there and couldn’t get up, that helped my chances a bunch. It was one of those things.”

Schumaker, who said he thought he would be able to play Saturday, was shaken up on the play and left the game. He had been activated from the disabled list prior to the game after missing the first 13 games because of a strained right oblique.

“Obviously it was not the debut I was looking for,” Schumaker said with a half-smile. “First of all, I should of caught the ball. Second of all, I couldn’t breathe. Coming off an oblique injury and getting your ribs rattled wasn’t something you wanted to do. They pulled me as a precautionary measure. I felt I could have stayed in but it is what it is.”

Jose Tabata followed Presley’s homer with a single but Pittsburgh never put a runner in scoring position.

“You get an inside-the-park homer and drop a single to the next guy and we ended up with two more (hits) the rest of the night,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “It was another strong outing for (Lynn). You have to take the barrel to him. He doesn’t seem like he’s going to hurt himself.”

Lynn also scored the go-ahead run on Carlos Beltran’s two-out single in the fifth inning off Charlie Morton (0-1).

Daniel Descalso homered for the NL Central-leading Cardinals, who won for the fifth time in six games.

Morton allowed two runs — one earned — and four hits in five innings with three walks and six strikeouts.

Mitchell Boggs and Jason Motte, who notched his third save in three tries, each pitched a hitless inning to complete the four-hitter for St. Louis.

After St. Louis tied it in the second inning on Molina’s RBI double, Lynn led off the fifth with a single. He took second on Rafael Furcal’s groundout, advanced to third on Matt Holliday’s fielder’s choice and scored on Beltran’s line hit to right field.

Descalso homered — a liner into the right-field stands — in the eighth off Jared Hughes to start a two-run inning. Furcal added a run-scoring double.

NOTES: Schumaker was activated and 1B Lance Berkman was placed on the 15-day DL with a strained left calf. Schumaker’s rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis was cut short after four games because the Cardinals needed someone to fill in for CF Jon Jay, who sprained his right shoulder on Thursday and is day to day. Schumaker was 3 for 13 (.231) with two walks and two strikeouts at Memphis. … Pittsburgh RHP Jeff Karstens, who was removed from his start after one inning Tuesday and placed on the DL, will rest seven to 10 days before beginning a throwing program. The Pirates do not have a timetable for Karstens’ return. RHP Brad Lincoln is expected to start in Karstens’ place Monday night against Colorado. … Jake Westbrook (2-0, 0.64) will start for St. Louis against Kevin Correia (1-0, 1.50) on Saturday night. Westbrook is 0-3 with a 5.46 ERA in four career starts against the Pirates.

Lance Lynn allowed only an inside-the-park homer to Alex Presley in seven innings, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-1 victory the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Presley led off the bottom of the first with a drive off the top of the center field fence, the ball just eluding a leaping center fielder Skip Schumaker. It was just the Pirates’ second inside-the-parker at PNC Park since it opened in 2001.

Filling in nicely for injured ace Chris Carpenter, Lynn (3-0) gave up four hits. He walked one and struck out four. He has won each of his starts this season and compiled a 1.42 ERA while Carpenter has been on the disabled list with a nerve problem in his pitching shoulder. Lynn pitched primarily in relief last season as a rookie when St. Louis won the World Series.

Lynn also scored the go-ahead run on Carlos Beltran’s two-out single in the fifth inning off Charlie Morton (0-1).

Daniel Descalso homered for the NL Central-leading Cardinals, who won for the fifth time in six games.

Morton allowed two runs — one earned — and four hits in five innings with three walks and six strikeouts.

Mitchell Boggs and Jason Motte, who notched his third save in three tries, each pitched a hitless inning to complete the four-hitter for St. Louis.

After St. Louis tied it in the second inning on Yadier Molina’s RBI double, Lynn led off the fifth with a single. He took second on Rafael Furcal’s groundout, advanced to third on Matt Holliday’s fielder’s choice and scored on Beltran’s line hit to right field.

Descalso homered — a liner into the right-field stands — in the eighth off Jared Hughes to start a two-run inning. Furcal added a run-scoring double.

St. Louis had tied the game in the second when Yadier Molina’s double down the left field line scored Beltran, who reached first on Morton’s fielding error.

Presley opened the scoring by scampering around the bases when his drive . Jack Wilson hit the Pirates’ only other inside-the-park home run at PNC Park on July 2, 2004, and last Pittsburgh player to hit one was Freddy Sanchez at Houston on July 21, 2008.

Schumaker was shaken up on the play and left the game. He had been activated from the disabled list prior to the game after missing the first 13 games because of a strained right oblique.

NOTES: Schumaker was activated and 1B Lance Berkman was placed on the 15-day DL with a strained left calf. Schumaker’s rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis was cut short after four games because the Cardinals needed someone to fill in for CF Jon Jay, who sprained his right shoulder on Thursday and is day to day. Schumaker was 3 for 13 (.231) with two walks and two strikeouts at Memphis. . Pittsburgh RHP Jeff Karstens, who was removed from his start after one inning Tuesday and placed on the DL, will rest seven to 10 days before beginning a throwing program. The Pirates do not have a timetable for Karstens’ return. RHP Brad Lincoln is expected to start in Karstens’ place Monday night against Colorado. . Jake Westbrook (2-0, 0.64) will start for St. Louis against Kevin Correia (1-0, 1.50) on Saturday night. Westbrook is 0-3 with a 5.46 ERA in four career starts against the Pirates.

Lynn leads Cardinals to 4-1 win over Pirates

(AP Photo/Don Wright)

PITTSBURGH (AP) A detour to the bullpen has made Lance Lynn a better starting pitcher.

Lynn allowed only an inside-the-park homer to Alex Presley in seven innings, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Filling in nicely for injured ace Chris Carpenter, Lynn (3-0) gave up four hits. He walked one and struck out four. He has won each of his starts this season and compiled a 1.42 ERA while Carpenter has been on the disabled list with a nerve problem in his pitching shoulder. Lynn pitched primarily in relief last season as a rookie when St. Louis won the World Series.

“What I did when they moved me to the bullpen last year was challenge hitters, get ahead in the count and make them hit my pitch,” Lynn said. “When I was starting, I tried to nitpick. I’d get behind in the count and have to give the hitters good pitches to hit. I learned a lot from pitching out of the bullpen. I’m more aggressive and more confident now as a starter.”

Lynn showed that aggressive approach against Pittsburgh as he needed just 88 pitches to get through seven innings. He allowed four hits and one walk while striking out four.

“Efficient is the right word,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said in describing Lynn’s outing. “He had good life on the ball and later in the game he really mixed in all his pitches. He had a good tempo, a good rhythm with (catcher Yadier Molina). He really kept them off balance.”

Presley led off the bottom of the first with a drive off the top of the center field fence, the ball just eluding a leaping center fielder Skip Schumaker. Jack Wilson hit the Pirates’ only other inside-the-park home run at PNC Park on July 2, 2004, and the last Pittsburgh player to hit one was Freddy Sanchez at Houston on July 21, 2008.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Presley said. “I thought I had a triple for sure, and when I saw him miss it, I think he got hurt out there and couldn’t get up, that helped my chances a bunch. It was one of those things.”

Schumaker, who said he thought he would be able to play Saturday, was shaken up on the play and left the game. He had been activated from the disabled list prior to the game after missing the first 13 games because of a strained right oblique.

“Obviously it was not the debut I was looking for,” Schumaker said with a half-smile. “First of all, I should of caught the ball. Second of all, I couldn’t breathe. Coming off an oblique injury and getting your ribs rattled wasn’t something you wanted to do. They pulled me as a precautionary measure. I felt I could have stayed in but it is what it is.”

Jose Tabata followed Presley’s homer with a single but Pittsburgh never put a runner in scoring position.

“You get an inside-the-park homer and drop a single to the next guy and we ended up with two more (hits) the rest of the night,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “It was another strong outing for (Lynn). You have to take the barrel to him. He doesn’t seem like he’s going to hurt himself.”

Lynn also scored the go-ahead run on Carlos Beltran’s two-out single in the fifth inning off Charlie Morton (0-1).

Daniel Descalso homered for the NL Central-leading Cardinals, who won for the fifth time in six games.

Morton allowed two runs – one earned – and four hits in five innings with three walks and six strikeouts.

Mitchell Boggs and Jason Motte, who notched his third save in three tries, each pitched a hitless inning to complete the four-hitter for St. Louis.

After St. Louis tied it in the second inning on Molina’s RBI double, Lynn led off the fifth with a single. He took second on Rafael Furcal’s groundout, advanced to third on Matt Holliday’s fielder’s choice and scored on Beltran’s line hit to right field.

Descalso homered – a liner into the right-field stands – in the eighth off Jared Hughes to start a two-run inning. Furcal added a run-scoring double.

NOTES: Schumaker was activated and 1B Lance Berkman was placed on the 15-day DL with a strained left calf. Schumaker’s rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis was cut short after four games because the Cardinals needed someone to fill in for CF Jon Jay, who sprained his right shoulder on Thursday and is day to day. Schumaker was 3 for 13 (.231) with two walks and two strikeouts at Memphis. … Pittsburgh RHP Jeff Karstens, who was removed from his start after one inning Tuesday and placed on the DL, will rest seven to 10 days before beginning a throwing program. The Pirates do not have a timetable for Karstens’ return. RHP Brad Lincoln is expected to start in Karstens’ place Monday night against Colorado. … Jake Westbrook (2-0, 0.64) will start for St. Louis against Kevin Correia (1-0, 1.50) on Saturday night. Westbrook is 0-3 with a 5.46 ERA in four career starts against the Pirates.

Updated April 20, 2012

The Cincinnati Reds acquired Mat Latos from San Diego in the offseason to shore up their starting pitching.

So far, Latos has struggled _ and so has his team.

Latos went 5 2-3 innings for his longest stint of the year, but the St. Louis Cardinals roughed him up Wednesday night in an 11-1 romp over the Reds.

Latos (0-2) was touched for eight runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out six.

The Reds have dropped five of the first six games on their 10-game road trip and are already five games in back of the Cardinals in the NL Central. Devin Mesoraco drove in Cincinnati’s only run with an infield single in the fifth.

Reds manager Dusty Baker said he does not believe Latos, who has an 8.22 ERA, is feeling any pressure to live up to preseason expectations. Baker attributes most of Latos’ problems to missing his spots.

“I don’t think it’s mechanical as much as it is location,” Baker said. “The balls that have been hit hard are balls over the heart of the plate.”

There were plenty of hard-hit balls Wednesday, both while Latos was on the mound and after, as the Cardinals pounded out 14 hits.

“I knew they were going to be tough,” Latos said. “They’re a good-hitting ballclub.”

He found that out in the first two innings.

The Cardinals greeted Latos rudely as Rafael Furcal doubled down the line in right leading off the first and Carlos Beltran followed with a walk. Furcal later scored on Lance Berkman’s infield single and David Freese delivered a two-run double.

Beltran made it 5-0 when he homered with two out in the second. That was not an uncommon occurrence _ Beltran had also homered off Latos in his two other official at-bats coming into Wednesday, though Latos did later retire Beltran for the first time in the fourth on a groundout.

After that, though, Latos settled down and held St. Louis scoreless for the next three innings.

“I just said the heck with it, I’m just going to go out there and throw and just reared back and threw and gave it everything I got,” Latos said. “I think the outcome was a little different.”

“A positive is that I found out what I haven’t been doing, I guess. More trusting my stuff and just letting it go,” he said.

Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia (2-0) allowed one run on seven hits and three walks. He was aided by four double plays and helped his cause with a triple off the wall in center field in the sixth that made it 7-1 and chased Latos.

“He got in some situations where he got a couple of walks and got behind guys,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “But he’s got the kind of stuff that he can turn it around quick and get strikeouts and get groundballs. He got some double plays that helped him out.”

The homer was Beltran’s fifth of the season and second of the series. Tyler Greene also had a two-run homer while Furcal had four hits and drove in two runs.

NOTES: Adam Wainwright, who has never started a season 0-2, will try to avoid a third consecutive defeat when he takes the ball for St. Louis on Thursday. … Of the eight position players that started for the Reds, only three were hitting better than .200 at the beginning of the night. … Berkman left the game in the fifth inning after aggravating a left calf injury. He acknowledged after the game that he could be headed to the disabled list. … Reds starters have not earned a victory since Johnny Cueto beat Miami 4-0 on opening day.

Jaime Garcia pitched seven effective innings and hit a two-run triple, Carlos Beltran homered again and the St. Louis Cardinals extended their winning streak to a season-high four games Wednesday night with an 11-1 rout of the slumping Cincinnati Reds. 

Beltran hit a two-run shot, his fifth homer overall and second of the series. Tyler Greene also had a two-run homer while Rafael Furcal had four hits and drove in two runs. 

Garcia (2-0) allowed one run on seven hits and three walks. He was aided by four double plays and helped his cause with a triple off the wall in center field in the sixth that made it 7-1 and chased Mat Latos (0-2). 

The Reds have dropped five of the first six games on their 10-game road trip and are already five games in back of the Cardinals in the NL Central. Devin Mesoraco drove in Cincinnati’s only run with an infield single in the fifth. 

Latos lasted 5 2-3 innings for his longest stint of the year, but was touched for eight runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out six. 

The Cardinals greeted Latos rudely as Furcal doubled down the line in right leading off the first and Beltran followed with a walk. 
Furcal later scored on Lance Berkman’s infield single and David Freese delivered a two-run double.
 
Beltran made it 5-0 when he homered with two out in the second. That was not an uncommon occurrence Ñ Beltran had also homered off Latos in his two other official at-bats coming into Wednesday, though Latos did later retire Beltran for the first time in the fourth on a groundout. 

NOTES: Adam Wainright, who has never started a season 0-2, will try to avoid a third consecutive defeat when he takes the ball for St. Louis today. … Of the eight position players that started for the Reds, only three were hitting better than .200 at the beginning of the night. … Berkman left the game in the fifth inning after aggravating a left calf injury. He was to be re-evaluated and is considered day-to-day. … Reds starters have not earned a victory since Johnny Cueto beat Miami 4-0 on opening day. 
 

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jaime Garcia pitched seven effective innings and hit a two-run triple, Carlos Beltran homered again and the St. Louis Cardinals extended their winning streak to a season-high four games Wednesday night with an 11-1 rout of the slumping Cincinnati Reds.

Beltran hit a two-run shot, his fifth homer overall and second of the series. Tyler Greene also had a two-run homer while Rafael Furcal had four hits and drove in two runs.

Garcia (2-0) allowed one run on seven hits and three walks. He was aided by four double plays and helped his cause with a triple off the wall in center field in the sixth that made it 7-1 and chased Mat Latos (0-2).

The Reds have dropped five of the first six games on their 10-game road trip and are already five games in back of the Cardinals in the NL Central. Devin Mesoraco drove in Cincinnati’s only run with an infield single in the fifth.

Latos lasted 5 2-3 innings for his longest stint of the year, but was touched for eight runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out six.

The Cardinals greeted Latos rudely as Furcal doubled down the line in right leading off the first and Beltran followed with a walk.

Furcal later scored on Lance Berkman’s infield single and David Freese delivered a two-run double.

Beltran made it 5-0 when he homered with two out in the second. That was not an uncommon occurrence – Beltran had also homered off Latos in his two other official at-bats coming into Wednesday, though Latos did later retire Beltran for the first time in the fourth on a groundout.

NOTES: Adam Wainright, who has never started a season 0-2, will try to avoid a third consecutive defeat when he takes the ball for St. Louis on Thursday. … Of the eight position players that started for the Reds, only three were hitting better than .200 at the beginning of the night. … Berkman left the game in the fifth inning after aggravating a left calf injury. He was to be re-evaluated and is considered day-to-day. … Reds starters have not earned a victory since Johnny Cueto beat Miami 4-0 on opening day.