ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dexter Fowler had his first four-hit game in six years, hitting his first home run this season and driving in four runs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Milwaukee Brewers 13-5 on Monday night.

Paul Goldschmidt hit his ninth home run and had three hits and three RBI for the Cardinals. St. Louis outhit Milwaukee 18-5, set a season high for runs and won its third straight.

Fowler had the fifth four-hit game of his career, his first since June 9, 2013, against San Diego.

Ryan Braun, Hernan Perez, Yasmani Grandal and Travis Shaw homered for Milwaukee, which has lost five of six.

Jack Flaherty (2-1) allowed four runs and three hits — all homers — in six innings. He struck out 10, reaching double digits for the fourth time in his big league career.

Adrian Houser (0-1) lost in his season debut and first big league start. He gave up five runs and nine hits in four-plus innings.

Kolten Wong hit an RBI single in the second, and Fowler made it 3-0 in the third with his first home run since July 24, a two-run drive.

Braun’s solo homer and Perez’s two-run home run tied the score in the fifth, but Goldschmidt put the Cardinals ahead to stay with a two-run homer in the bottom half that chased Houser.

Grandal homered in the sixth, but St. Louis blew open the game with a seven-run seventh off Jacob Barnes and Aaron Wilkerson that included a two-run, pinch-hit single by rookie Lane Thomas.

LONG BALL

Milwaukee has 47 home runs this season while St. Louis has 35. The Brewers have hit 21 and the Cardinals 17 in their eight games against each other.

ROSTER MOVES

Brewers: LHP Donnie Hart was optioned Triple-A San Antonio, Hauser and RHP Jake Petricka were recalled from San Antonio. … Brewers: RHP Junior Guerra was placed on the bereavement list. He went home to Venezuela to be with his ill father and the Brewers expect he will rejoin the team for a weekend series at the New York Mets.

Cardinals: INF/OF Drew Robinson was recalled from Triple-A Memphis.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha was placed on 10-day IL with patellar tendinitis in his left knee.

UP NEXT

RHP Zach Davies (2-0) enters his start for Milwaukee on Tuesday with a 2-2 record against the Cardinals, including 0-2 with a 9.28 ERA in two starts last season. RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon will start in place of Wacha after going 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA in three starts at Triple-A Memphis. He had one appearance in 2018 against Milwaukee, pitching one of scoreless relief.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Noah Syndergaard has found his health, and even a little bit of luck at the plate, but he’s still off to a vexing start to the season.

Paul Goldschmidt drove in two runs and Syndergaard hit a home run with Dexter Fowler’s help, but he struggled on the mound as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets 6-4 on Sunday.

“My frustration’s pretty high right now,” Syndergaard said. “It would have been a great win today, but I let the team down.”

Syndergaard (1-2) allowed six runs, four earned, on eight hits in five innings, but his most memorable play came while batting in the fourth. He hit a deep flyball to center that Fowler leaped for on the warning track even though it was well below the fence. The ball deflected off Fowler’s glove and over the wall for Syndergaard’s fifth career homer and first since Aug. 16, 2016, at Arizona.

It was one of four homers on the day for the Mets, but that wasn’t enough for Syndergaard, who has allowed at least five runs in his last two starts after not having given up five in a game since April 30, 2017, at Washington.

“He got mad at me when I took him out, which is great. It’s not like he’s shying away,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “He wants to go out there and compete and guys have bad stretches. This is probably the worst stretch he’s had in his major league career when he’s been healthy, so he’ll bounce back from it.”

Dakota Hudson (1-1) allowed three runs on five hits in five innings, striking out five, for his first career victory as a starter. He went 4-1 in 26 appearances, all in relief, as a rookie last season.

“It’s big, getting my confidence going a little bit, getting everything kind of together,” Hudson said. “But now I can say, hey, I’m a starter, I’ve gotten a win as a starter and kind of gotten my feet under me a little bit.”

Jordan Hicks pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save in six chances. His last fastball measured 104.2 mph, the hardest in baseball this season. Hicks reached 105.1 mph last year, tied with Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman for the fastest pitch ever.

Robinson Cano homered for the Mets but left in the seventh after he was hit in the right hand by a pitch from Andrew Miller. Third base umpire Paul Emmel ruled that Cano swung before the ball hit his hand and called the pitch a strike.

“He started his swing,” Emmel told a pool reporter. “Pitch hit his hands, followed through with his swing, the ball actually went into fair territory. Bruce (Dreckman), the home-plate umpire, didn’t see the end of the swing so he called a hit batsman and was giving him first base. During the injury, then Bruce and I communicated which we’re supposed to do. So appeal on the check swing, so he went through with his swing.”

Callaway was ejected for arguing the call. The ejection was the third of his career. X-rays on Cano’s hand were negative.

“I was shocked, to be honest,” Callaway said about the call. “I was trying to figure out what we’re going to do the rest of the game, who’s going to pinch run for Robby, and they mosey on down and say that he swung.”

Pete Alonso and Michael Conforto also homered for New York, which lost two of three at St. Louis.

Kolten Wong’s RBI single in the second tied the game at 1-1, and he advanced to second after Brandon Nimmo’s throw to the plate wasn’t cut off. Hudson reached on an error to load the bases, and Goldschmidt singled two batters later to make it 3-1.

The Cardinals went ahead 5-1 on Molina’s RBI groundout and Fowler’s run-scoring double in the fourth.

“It’s a good offense,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “Syndergaard made some really tough pitches first inning, and we didn’t get sideways about it, kept the approach, had a great approach. Guys were really locked in and stayed to the middle of the field with a couple big two-out hits.”

SYRACUSE SHUTTLE

The Mets recalled LHP Daniel Zamora and optioned Saturday’s starter, RHP Chris Flexen, to Triple-A Syracuse. Zamora went 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 16 appearances last season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: INF Todd Frazier (left oblique strain) went 0 for 2 in a rehabilitation appearance at Syracuse and may be activated before Monday’s game against Philadelphia.

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (right shoulder cuff strain) will probably throw a side session Monday before heading to extended spring training, Shildt said.

UP NEXT

Mets: LHP Steven Matz (1-1, 4.96 ERA) starts against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday as New York begins a 10-game homestand. Matz allowed eight runs without recording an out in his previous start, at Philadelphia on April 16.

Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (1-1, 5.00) starts against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. Flaherty is 1-2 with a 4.58 ERA in seven career starts against Milwaukee.

— Associated Press —

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Michael Wacha cooled off NL MVP Christian Yelich, Matt Carpenter and Marcell Ozuna each went deep, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-3 on Wednesday to avoid being swept.

Yelich came in batting .556 with four home runs and 10 RBI in the series, but he was 0 for 2 with a strikeout and a walk against Wacha. Yelich did single in a run in the eighth off Andrew Miller.

Wacha (1-0) bounced back after a tough start Thursday against the Dodgers. He struck out seven over six innings, allowing two runs and five hits to improve to 6-0 career against the Brewers.

Relief pitcher Aaron Wilkerson spoiled Wacha’s bid for a shutout in the fifth with a two-run homer, his first major league hit.

Jordan Hicks pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

Milwaukee starter Corbin Burnes (0-2) got beat by the long ball again. He surrendered three home runs in each of his first three starts, then coughed up two more against St. Louis. He’s allowed a major league-most 11 on the season.

Ozuna went deep in the second and Carpenter in the fourth. It was Ozuna’s fourth consecutive game with a homer and eighth overall.

The Brewers had won nine of 10 against St. Louis, including four in a row, but two RBI singles by Matt Weiters and one apiece by Paul DeJong and Kolten Wong helped snap that streak. DeJong went 4 for 5.

Burnes struggled through 3 1/3 innings, allowed nine hits, walked two and struck out three.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: The Cardinals placed OF Harrison Bader (right hamstring strain) on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 14, and recalled rookie OF Lane Thomas. He came in as a defensive replacement for Jose Martinez in the eighth. … C Yadier Molina got the day off.

Brewers: CF Lorenzo Cain got the day off and Ben Gamel started in his place. … RHP Jeremy Jeffress, reinstated from the 10-day IL (right shoulder injury) on Tuesday, made his first 2019 appearance in the eighth.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (1-1, 3.94 ERA) starts against the New York Mets on Friday.

Brewers: RHP Zach Davies (2-0, 1.53 ERA) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. He beat them 4-1 at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, allowing one run over seven innings.

— Associated Press —

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich welcomed hard-throwing prospect Ryan Helsley to the big leagues with a three-run homer, his eighth against St. Louis this season, to help send the Milwaukee Brewers to an 8-4 victory over the Cardinals on Tuesday night.

Lorenzo Cain and Yasmani Grandal each homered in a five-run third against Jack Flaherty (1-1), when the Brewers went up 5-0.

Yelich, who homered three times on Monday, was the first batter faced by Helsley, who debuted with two on and two outs in the fifth. Yelich fell behind 0-2, evened the count and then fouled off a 98 mph fastball, before sending the next pitch 427 feet to right center for his ninth home run, putting Milwaukee up 8-0.

Yelich is the first player to homer in six consecutive games against the Cardinals. The Brewers have won nine of their last 10 against St. Louis, including four in a row.

Brandon Woodruff (2-1) held the Cardinals scoreless until Marcell Ozuna’s two-run homer, his seventh, with one out in the sixth. Woodruff allowed two runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out six.

The Cardinals added two in the eighth on RBI singles by Yadier Molina and Kolten Wong.

Cain opened the third inning with his second homer. Ryan Braun doubled under the glove of third baseman Matt Carpenter with one out. After Mike Moustakas struck out, Grandal followed with his fifth homer, a two-run shot to right.

The Brewers loaded the bases on singles by Travis Shaw and Jesus Aguilar and a walk to Orlando Arcia. Woodruff then laced a two-run double over the bag at first, his fifth hit in his first six at-bats this season.

Flaherty was tagged for five runs on nine hits and needed 75 pitches to get though 2 2/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Mike Mayers (right shoulder strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list. OF Tyler O’Neill (right elbow ulnar nerve) also was placed on the 10-day IL. … OF Harrison Bader was out of the lineup for the third straight game with an ailing right hamstring. “I know at least day-to-day,” manager Mike Shildt said. “Staying away from him today.”

Brewers: RHP Freddy Peralta (right shoulder sprain) was placed on the 10-day injured list. Peralta started Monday and gave up three runs on four hits with three walks in 3 1/3 innings. “He was having some pain last night during the game, so there’s some inflammation in there that we had to calm down,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Don’t expect it to be long term. It should definitely be on the shorter end here. So he’ll rest for a couple days and then he should be able to start throwing pretty soon.”

CARDINALS MOVES

INF/OF Drew Robinson was optioned to Triple-A Memphis. INF/OF Yairo Munoz, RHP Giovanny Gallegos, and RHP Helsley all were recalled from Memphis. Helsley, who had a 3.86 ERA in two starts at Memphis, will be used out of the bullpen. “You’re talking about a young man with plus velocity,” Shildt said. “Plus, plus. Out of the bullpen he’s got every opportunity to hit 98-100 with some life to it.”

BREWERS MOVES

RHP Jake Petricka was optioned to Class-A Wisconsin. RHP Jeremy Jeffress (right shoulder) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. RHP Aaron Wilkerson was recalled from Triple-A San Antonio.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (0-0, 5.28) starts the series finale at Miller Park on Wednesday afternoon. He allowed seven runs on eight hits, including three homers, in 3 2/3 innings in his last start. Wacha is 5-0 in 12 career games against the Brewers, including 11 starts.

Brewers: RHP Corbin Burnes (0-1, 10.05) has allowed three home runs in each of his first three starts in a total of 14 1/3 innings. Opponents are batting .339 against him, although the Brewers are 2-1 in his starts.

— Associated Press —

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — For Marcell Ozuna, the atmosphere in the Estadio de Beisbol de Monterrey made it feel like a home game. Not in St. Louis, but back in the Dominican Republic.

Ozuna hit two home runs and Matt Carpenter connected for a tiebreaking drive in the seventh inning that sent the Cardinals over the Cincinnati Reds 9-5 Sunday for a split of their two-game series in Mexico.

“I liked the crowd here, it’s like in my country, it’s kind of the same the energy,” Ozuna said.

“It’s my first time in Monterrey and it feels good, the passion and the feel for the game that they have,” he said.

Ozuna has four home runs in his last five games along with eight RBI.

“I’m sure it was a comfortable feeling for him. I know it was for me,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “It’s an atmosphere that all Latin players enjoy, I’m sure I did.”

The stadium didn’t sell out for either game. But on both days, fans were noisy throughout the game, and the PA system blasted Latin music at every opportunity, creating a fiesta-like atmosphere.

“It felt like a winter league game there and I was trying to give my best to them,” Ozuna said.

Tyler O’Neill also homered for St. Louis. Yasiel Puig hit his first home run for the Reds and Jesse Winker hit his second in two days.

The Cardinals saluted the fans after the win and gave away their hats. The Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels will play twice at this stadium in early May — Major League Baseball has committed to bring regular-season games to Mexico until 2021.

It was 4-all when Carpenter opened the seventh with his second home run of the season, tagging Amir Garrett (1-1). Ozuna hit a solo homer off Jared Hughes and Jose Martinez capped the five-run inning with a two-run single that made it 9-4.

“Amir has been doing a great job and he has been pitching very well,” Reds manager David Bell said. “It was a huge hit in the game for them. After that Jared came in to finish the right-handers and it just did not work out today.”

Ozuna hit a three-run homer and O’Neill added a solo drive as the Cardinals took a 4-0 lead in the first off Anthony DeSclafini.

The Reds rallied to tie it with a four-run fifth off Miles Mikolas. An error by Carpenter at third base set up an RBI double by Michael Lorenzen, and Winker’s three-run drive tied it.

Winker has hit four home runs in his last five games.

Puig homered in the eighth to make it 9-5 and the Reds loaded the bases, but Jordan Hicks retired pinch-hitter Kyle Farmer on a grounder to escape.

Hicks closed for this third save. John Gant (3-0) pitched one inning.

CHANGING THE TUNE

For the Mexico series, and probably in an attempt to please the local crowd, Puig and Reds teammate Joey Votto changed their walk-up song. Puig dropped “This Girl” by Kungs vs Cookin’ on 3 Burners for “El Rey” by Mexican singer Vicente Fernandez, while Votto skipped “Paint It Black” from the Rolling Stones and instead used “Como la Flor” by Selena.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Dakota Hudson (0-1, 2.79) starts at Milwaukee.

Reds: Puig makes his return to Dodger Stadium when Cincinnati opens a series Monday. RHP Luis Castillo (1-1, 0.92 ERA) starts for the Reds — he struck out at least eight and given up no more than two hits in each of his first three starts this year.

— Associated Press —

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — Derek Dietrich hit a tiebreaking homer off Adam Wainwright in the seventh inning and added a two-run triple as the Cincinnati Reds won their fourth straight game, beating the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 Saturday night in the raucous Estadio de Beisbol de Monterrey.

The start of the two-game series marked the first time either team had played in the regular season in Mexico.

St. Louis had won five in a row.

Wainwright hit an RBI single in the second off Tanner Roark for a 1-0 lead. Jesse Winker’s one-out homer in the sixth was the Reds’ first hit off Wainwright (1-1).

Dietrich connected to lead off the seventh, finishing Wainwright. Dietrich tripled to cap a three-run eighth that made it 5-1.

Kolten Wong hit a leadoff home run against Zach Duke to begin the Cardinals ninth. Raisel Iglesias relieved and, after St. Louis put two runners on base, retired Paul Goldschmidt and Paul DeJong for his second save.

Jared Hughes (1-0) got two outs for the win.

Mexico is hosting major league games for the second year in a row. Last year, the Los Angeles Dodgers combined for a no-hitter against San Diego at Monterrey. Next month, the Los Angeles Angels and Houston Astros will play two games in this ballpark.

— Associated Press —

ST. Louis (AP) — Matt Wieters drove in a three runs and stole a base for just the third time in six years, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-7 Thursday for a four-game sweep of the NL champions.

Making his first start this season, the 32-year-old Wieters hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning and a two-run double in the fifth that put the Cardinals ahead 8-7. With runners at the corners in the fifth, Wieters stole second as Matt Carpenter struck out, his first steal since April 27, 2017, and just the ninth of his major league career.

Harrison Bader was hit by pitches with the bases loaded in both the second and fifth innings. He was the first player to force in runs twice in a game while getting hit since Toronto’s Reed Johnson on April 16, 2005, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Jose Martinez matched a career high with four hits, including an RBI double off Yimi Garcia in a two-run sixth. St. Louis set a season high for runs and swept the Dodgers in a four-game series for the first time since July 15-18, 2010.

David Freese and Walker Buehler hit solo home runs in the second inning for Los Angeles, and Kike Hernandez homered to cap a four-run third.

Giovanny Gallegos (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in his first appearance of the season for the Cardinals to win in relief of Michael Wacha, who allowed seven runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Pedro Baez (0-1) gave up four runs — three earned — and four hits in one inning.

Trailing 7-4, St. Louis started to close when Jedd Gyorko singled in a run in the third. The Cardinals’ four-run fifth included a run-scoring error by second baseman Max Muncy.

KERSHAW

Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to make his season debut on Monday at home against the Cincinnati Reds.

The 31-year-old left-hander, troubled by left shoulder inflammation since early in spring training, made his second minor league injury rehabilitation start on Tuesday. He gave up two solo home runs and five hits over six innings for Double-A Tulsa against Springfield. He struck out six, walked none and threw 59 of 81 pitches for strikes.

In his first rehab start last week, Kershaw gave up two runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City against San Antonio.

MAKING MOVES

Dodgers: Los Angeles recalled RHP Jaime Schultz from Oklahoma City and optioned RHP J.T. Chargois to the Triple-A farm team.

Cardinals: Utility player Yairo Munoz will rejoin St. Louis as a 26th player for this weekend’s series against the Cincinnati Reds in Mexico.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: SS Corey Seager was hit by a pitch by Gallegos in the fourth, left at the start of the bottom half and was diagnosed with a bruised left hamstring

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (1-0, 4.50) is to start Friday against the Reds and RHP Tanner Roark (0-0, 5.79). Wainwright is one win shy of 150.

Dodgers: LHP Julio Urias (0-0, 3.12) is scheduled to start at home Friday against Milwaukee and RHP Corbin Burnes (0-1, 9.90).

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yadier Molina and Marcell Ozuna homered, Jack Flaherty tossed six effective innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 on Wednesday night.

The Cardinals have won four in a row and will try to sweep the four-game series Thursday. They have outscored their opponents 19-6 during the winning streak.

Max Muncy and Joc Pederson homered for the Dodgers, who have lost three straight after a five-game winning streak.

Paul DeJong had three hits and drove in a run with a triple in the sixth. DeJong extended his career-best hitting streak to 11 games. He is tied with San Francisco’s Brandon Crawford for the longest current streak in the National League.

Flaherty (1-0) gave up three hits and one run in his 99-pitch effort. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter. He has permitted one run over 11 innings in his last two starts.

Molina, who drove in three runs, homered off Kenta Maeda (2-1) in the sixth to push the lead to a 5-1. Ozuna, who had three hits, added a two-run drive in the eighth.

Maeda gave up five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Pederson’s one-out shot in the sixth brought the Dodgers to 2-1. Los Angeles has gone deep in 11 of 13 games this season.

EVEN UP

The Cardinals and Dodgers have played each other 2,074 times since 1892. The series is even at 1,029-1,029 with 16 ties.

KERSHAW ON TRACK

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to make his season debut Sunday or Monday, according to manager Dave Roberts.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner, bothered by shoulder inflammation during spring training, completed his second effective rehab appearance Tuesday night for Double-A Tulsa against Springfield. He went six innings and allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.

“He felt good coming out of it,” Roberts said. “He’s lined up for Sunday or Monday, whichever makes the most sense.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: Placed C Russell Martin on the 10-day injured list with lower back inflammation and recalled C Rocky Gale from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Gale was 2 for 6 with three runs scored at Oklahoma City. He went 0 for 2 as a September call-up last season.

Cardinals: Ozuna was in the starting lineup after he tumbled off the outfield fence while trying to catch a long drive Tuesday. Ozuna scaled the left field wall, but the ball came up short and he hit the warning track face first.

UP NEXT

Los Angeles RHP Walker Buehler (1-0, 6.75 ERA) will face RHP Michael Wacha (0-0, 1.54) in the series finale Thursday afternoon. Buehler has not allowed a run in two career starts against St. Louis, yielding five hits over 15 innings with 18 strikeouts. Wacha walked a career-high eight in a 6-4 loss to San Diego on Saturday.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yadier Molina drove in three runs, Paul Goldschmidt homered and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 on Tuesday night, overcoming an embarrassing play by Marcell Ozuna.

St. Louis already had a 4-0 lead when Kike Hernandez led off the eighth with a drive to left. Ozuna went back and climbed up the wall, but he misjudged the ball and tumbled onto the warning track as he tried to make the play. Hernandez’s drive bounced over for a ground-rule double, but Mike Mayers and Andrew Miller managed to escape the threat.

Six St. Louis pitchers combined for a seven-hitter. The Dodgers stranded 13 runners and struck out 10 times.

John Brebbia (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win.

Los Angeles dropped consecutive games for the first time this season. The Dodgers had won five in a row before stalling in St. Louis.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Miles Mikolas sent a message against the Dodgers: Crowd the plate at your own risk.

Mikolas pitched six solid innings despite hitting three batters, Marcell Ozuna homered and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied for a 4-3 victory on Monday night, ending Los Angeles’ five-game winning streak.

Mikolas, who allowed three runs on five hits, had never hit more than one batter in a game and now has 17 in his career.

“They got a lot of guys who are pretty close to the dish. You could tell that none of them were intentional,” Mikolas said. “I like to throw inside. It’s assumed risk I guess. I’m not going let a couple of hit batters force me to pitch back out over the plate.

“I led our league in hit batters my last year in Japan.”

Cardinals manager Mike Shildt approves of Mikolas’ approach.

“One thing we appreciate about Miles, among many things, is the fact that he throws inside,” Shildt said. “He can throw inside for strikes. He not trying to hit anyone. He just grazed a few guys.”

An All-Star and 18-game winner last season, Mikolas signed a $68 million, four-year contract extension in February that raised his pay to $75.5 million over the next five seasons.

After losing the season opener and not getting a decision in his second start, Mikolas was happy to pick up his first win.

“Kind of getting that monkey off your back against a team as hot as the Dodgers felt good,” Mikolas said. “It’s a team we’ll probably see in the playoffs. It felt good to see what the sixth inning felt like this season.”

For the Dodgers, the loss could be painful because of another groin injury to starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu, who left with two outs in the second inning.

St. Louis rallied with two runs in the seventh. Jose Martinez singled off Joe Kelly (1-2) to drive in Matt Carpenter, who had singled off Scott Alexander. Paul Goldschmidt later scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by Kelly, who has blown three save opportunities.

“I think that obviously you look at the stuff and the stuff is really good,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Kelly. “I certainly applaud him for calling down to the dugout and wanting to take the baseball. Joe’s going to keep fighting, and I believe in him. I know it’s going to turn. I just love the way this guy wants to pitch.”

With the Cardinals trailing 3-2, Mikolas got out of a jam in the sixth when Russell Martin hit a flyball to short center. Harrison Bader raced in to make the catch and threw home. Kike Hernandez, who had homered, was around third base, and catcher Yadier Molina threw to second to complete the double play.

“Thankfully that softball didn’t fall,” Shildt said.

John Gant worked two scoreless innings in relief and Jordan Hicks pitched the ninth for his second save in as many chances.

Ozuna homered off Ryu in the first to tie the game at 2. It was his 16th career first-inning home run.

Los Angeles had taken the lead on a fielder’s choice and a double by A.J. Pollack.

Corey Seager put the Dodgers ahead in the fifth with an RBI single.

EARLY EXIT

Ryu was diagnosed with a strained left groin, the same injury that forced him to miss more than half of last season. He threw a strike to Mikolas before stepping off the mound. The Dodgers assembled, and Ryu walked off. The 32-year-old left-hander threw 34 pitches, allowing two runs on two with a strikeout and a walk. Ryu is 2-0 with a 3.07 ERA. Dylan Floro relieved.

“It was different from the pain I felt last year,” Ryu said through a translator. “It was more of a precautionary measure to come out of the game. So compared to the left groin injury I had last year, right now I feel better. Right now I’m not too concerned. I’ll have to see tomorrow, but I’ll try to prepare the way as if I’m starting for my next outing, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

HOMERLESS

The Dodgers didn’t hit a home run for the first time this season. Los Angeles had 24 homers in its first 10 games and had homered in 13 consecutive games dating to last Sept. 28.

EX-CARDS RETURN

The Dodgers’ David Freese got a loud ovation when he came up to pinch-hit in the seventh. He tipped his helmet to the fans. Freese won the World Series and NLCS MVP awards for the Cardinals in 2011. Kelly, who pitched three years in St. Louis, also was cheered when he came in to pitch.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw, who began the season in the injured list with shoulder inflammation, will make his second rehab start Tuesday at Double-A Tulsa. In his first rehab start last Thursday, Kershaw gave up two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings against San Antonio. He struck out and walked two. If his start goes well, Roberts said Kershaw will rejoin the team next weekend.

Cardinals: OF Tyler O’Neill is playing with a sore toe he hurt Saturday. O’Neill entered the game in the seventh inning, replacing Martinez in right field.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: Right-hander Ross Stripling (0-0, 2.31 ERA) will be making his third start. He allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings in last start and got a no-decision in a 5-3 win over San Francisco.

Cardinals: Right-hander Dakota Hudson (0-1, 5.40) will be making his second start. In his last outing, he pitched two-thirds of an inning, stranding the bases loaded in the 10th inning of a 5-4 win over Pittsburgh.

— Associated Press —