ST. LOUIS (AP) — Lance Lynn figured the numbers did not lie and Bartolo Colon would be an automatic out. The rest of the St. Louis Cardinals, too.

Lynn was philosophical about the 41-year-old Colon’s first extra-base hit of his career and first hit — period — in nine years that keyed the rally that helped the New York Mets win 3-2 Wednesday.

Lynn joked that Colon was probably due.

“I thought there was no way he was swinging, and he swung,” Lynn said. “In all honesty, that at-bat right there cost us the game.

“You don’t expect him to be the one that starts something like that, and he did.”

Colon said through an translator he got what he wished for — a fastball — and would have whiffed on a breaking pitch. Twice, he loosened up the dugout running the bases.

“It made everybody laugh,” leadoff man Eric Young Jr. “Sometimes laughter gets everything going and you can start having fun playing baseball.”

In addition to his keepsake double, Colon worked eight dominant innings in 91-degree heat against a lineup that totaled 11 runs the first two games.

“He got a lot of weak contact,” catcher Taylor Teagarden said. “That’s exactly what you want from your starter on a tough day game, a get-away game after already being down 0-2 in the series.”

Eric Young and David Wright had an RBI apiece in a two-run sixth that put the Mets up by a run, and Young added an RBI double off Seth Maness in the seventh — a run aided by Colon’s second sacrifice of the game. A day after dropping their sixth straight series in St. Louis, the Mets ended an eight-game road losing streak dating to June 3.

Matt Carpenter hit his third career leadoff homer for the Cardinals, who lost for the second time in nine games. They had just one runner in scoring position against Colon (7-5), who retired 13 in a row before Daniel Descalso singled with two outs in the eighth.

“He left one out over the plate and I was able to put a good swing on it,” Carpenter said. “But he didn’t make any mistakes after that one.”

Colon was 0 for 43 at the plate since June 10, 2005, when he was with the Angels and singled off the Mets’ Mike DeJean. He had taken only 17 at-bats while in the American League from 2006-13.

Colon surprised Lance Lynn (7-5) with a double just inside the third-base line to open the sixth. He scored his second career run, and first since 2002 with the Expos at Milwaukee, when Young followed with a double.

Colon won his fifth straight decision and matched his season best for innings, needing just 86 pitches. He allowed four hits, had a season-low one strikeout and walked none, substituting deception for velocity.

The Mets batted the pitcher eighth the first two games of the series but returned to a traditional look for the finale with Colon taking a turn.

Left-hander Dana Eveland retired lefty swinging Matt Adams for the final out and his second career save, and first since 2005, after Allen Craig’s infield RBI single off Jenrry Mejia. The Mets won for just the fourth time in 15 games.

Collins said he took out Mejia because Adams has been so dangerous.

“You keep reading every day in the notes that he’s won game after game with a home run or a hit off right-handed pitching,” Collins said. “So he was going to have to get a hit off a lefty.”

Wright just missed giving the Mets three doubles in four at-bats, settling for the go-ahead RBI single. Wright beat the relay to second on an opposite-field flare down the right field line but was tagged out by Descalso when he tried to switch feet.

Lynn worked six innings and allowed five hits and two runs.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Facing trouble, Michael Wacha did his best to slow down the game. He certainly frustrated New York Mets hitters who had him on the ropes.

Wacha escaped a pair of jams with strikeouts, and the St. Louis Cardinals snapped a fifth-inning tie en route to a 5-2 victory on Tuesday night.

“I hadn’t been doing that in my last three starts,” Wacha said. “It was nice to be able to start making pitches and being able to execute.”

Daniel Murphy couldn’t deal with the changeup when he struck out with runners on second and third to end the fifth inning.

“I don’t think I swung at a single strike the at-bat I struck out,” Murphy said. “He threw the ball well to me, and I helped him out.”

Murphy wasn’t alone.

“I don’t think there are too many right-handers with a better changeup,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “I think that’s accepted league-wide.”

Yadier Molina hit his first homer since May 24 for the Cardinals, who have won eight of nine and will go for a three-game sweep on Wednesday. They have won a season-best five in a row and are a season-best seven games above .500.

David Wright hit his first homer since May 28, and Lucas Duda also connected for the Mets, who have lost 11 of 14.

“There’s many sleepless nights,” Wright said. “I won’t lie and say it’s easy or it doesn’t bother me, but you have to understand there’s not too many players, if any, that can go through a whole season and ride that roller-coaster ride a little bit.”

Mets manager Terry Collins batted the pitcher eighth, with Eric Young Jr. hitting ninth, for the second straight game in an effort to stimulate the offense. During the 14-game slump, the Mets have scored two or fewer runs seven times.

Daisuke Matsuzaka worked a scoreless seventh inning in relief of Mets starter Jonathon Niese (3-4). Matsuzaka left Sunday’s start against San Diego after one inning because of a severe upset stomach.

Wacha (5-5) gave up a run and five hits in six innings. Fanning Murphy preserved a 1-all tie, and he struck out Ruben Tejada with two on to end the sixth when the Cardinals led 3-1.

Wacha had a career-best 10 strikeouts on April 23 at New York but also had a career-worst five walks and lasted four innings in a loss.

Jon Jay’s RBI triple with two outs in the fifth gave the Cardinals the lead, and Matt Holliday followed with an RBI double. Pinch-hitter Kolten Wong and Peter Bourjos added RBIs in the sixth, with both runs unearned after second baseman Murphy dropped Daniel Descalso’s slicing, looping liner with a man on and two out.

“I just misplayed it,” Murphy said.

Jay is batting .405 (15 for 37) in his last 12 games with four multi-hit games. It was his first RBI since May 30.

“He’s on a real good run at the plate,” Matheny said. “The way he’s taking his at-bats … we’ve seen this before. You just see him go, and it’s fun to watch him go.”

Niese allowed five runs, three earned, in six innings. The lefty has made 18 consecutive starts allowing three or fewer earned runs. It is the longest active streak in the majors, extending to last September, but he is just 5-5 during that span.

Wright entered the game 3 for 43 in his last 13 games. He leads the Mets with 34 RBIs, but has just four this month. The home run was his first on the road this season.

Duda hit his ninth homer of the season leading off the ninth against Jason Motte to make it 5-2, and Anthony Recker doubled, but Pat Neshek retired the next three for his second save in four chances.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Allen Craig and Matt Adams each had two RBIs and the St. Louis Cardinals got effective work from rookie pitchers subbing for ace Adam Wainwright in a 6-2 victory over the New York Mets on Monday night.

Carlos Martinez allowed an unearned run in four innings in his second career start and Nick Greenwood (1-0) allowed a run on two hits in 3 1/3 innings to win in his major league debut for St. Louis, which has won seven of eight.

Wainwright (9-3, 2.15) is skipping a turn to allow for tendinitis in the back of his elbow to subside. He is expected to return on Saturday against the Phillies.

Matt Holliday had two hits, including a single for his 1,000th career RBI in a four-run fifth that put the Cardinals up 6-1.

Mets manager Terry Collins batted the pitcher eighth for the first time in franchise history but the novel lineup with rookie pitcher Jacob deGrom batting eighth and Eric Young Jr. ninth mustered just five hits. New York has lost 10 of 13, scoring two or fewer runs six times.

Adams homered his first three games coming off the 15-day disabled list from a strained left calf. He settled for a pair of RBI singles Monday and stung the ball all four at-bats.

DeGrom (0-4) gave up six runs on 12 hits in 4 1/3 innings in his seventh career start, all three numbers statistical low points. He handled the bat fine, with a sacrifice bunt in the third and a broken-bat liner to second with the base loaded in the fourth after Ruben Tejada was intentionally walked.

Young, activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game, had an infield hit to help manufacture a run in the third. But Martinez struck him out to end the fourth.

The 22-year-old Martinez is one of the Cardinals’ top rotation prospects with a fastball that registered triple digits in the first inning. He’s been a setup man most of the year with a previous long outing of 2 2/3 innings and needed just 14 pitches to retire the Mets in order the first two innings.

The Cardinals selected the 26-year-old Greenwood’s contract from Triple-A Memphis Sunday to provide support behind Martinez.

The 25-year-old deGrom has allowed 13 runs on 26 hits in 15 innings his last three starts.

Seth Maness retired the last four hitters in order for his first save, also his first chance of the season.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Matt Adams might want to have his father’s visit last longer.

Adams homered for the third straight game — all with his father in attendance — and Matt Holliday also went deep, helping the St. Louis Cardinals to a 5-2 victory and series sweep Sunday over the Washington Nationals.

Adams gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead in the second inning with a two-run shot on an 0-2 pitch, his sixth homer of the season. Adams’ father, Jamie, has been visiting from Pennsylvania on Father’s Day weekend.

“Unfortunately, he’s going to go home,” Adams said.

There were going to meet before Adams’ father left for the airport.

“He might give me a big hug and start crying,” Adams said. “He’s an emotional guy.”

Adams has homered in all three games since coming off the disabled list with a torn calf muscle.

Holliday put St. Louis up 3-0 in the third with his fifth home run.

St. Louis manager Mike Matheny never doubted his sluggers would start to hit the long ball after a slow start. The Cardinals are last in the National League in homers.

“We’ve been saying for months now these guys have done that,” Matheny said. “It’s not a surprise. It’s not like these guys have never hit any home runs in their lives. I think that everybody just thought that we were either brainwashing them not to hit home runs or else they all lost it collectively and both of them are ridiculous.”

Last year, Adams had 17 homers in 108 games and Holliday had 22 in 141 games.

“We knew that our power didn’t go anywhere,” Adams said. “We knew the type of hitters we are. We go out there on daily basis and grind through our at-bats.”

Jaime Garcia (3-0) pitched seven innings, allowing five hits and a run for St. Louis. He struck out six and walked two. Trevor Rosenthal got the final out for his 20th save.

Washington’s Doug Fister (5-2) had his five-start winning streak snapped. He pitched six innings, allowing seven hits and four runs.

“The two home runs were the biggest things for me,” Fister said. “I need to find a better effort.”

St. Louis has won 12 of the last 14 regular-season meetings with Washington. The Nationals are 2-18 in the newest version of Busch Stadium.

“We have a bitter taste in our mouths going home,” Nationals outfielder Scott Hairston said. “I think we definitely didn’t play up to our capabilities.”

The Nationals loaded the bases in three innings, stranded 10 runners and scored on two bases loaded walks.

The timely hit didn’t come for Washington.

“It’s the ebbs and flows of the game,” Washington manager Matt Williams said. “It’s that time of the year where heavy legs start to set in a little bit.”

Garcia pitched out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the second. Third baseman Matt Carpenter caught Sandy Leon’s grounder on a short hop and threw out Hairston at home. Garcia then struck out Fister.

Jayson Werth drew a bases loaded walk in the fifth to cut the lead to 3-1.

“I didn’t have my best stuff today but at the same time you go out there and you compete,” Garcia said. “You battle and you keep your team in the game.”

St. Louis got the run back in the fifth, when Kolten Wong snapped an 0-for-16 skid with a leadoff triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Holliday, who has 999 RBIs in his career.

Craig doubled home Holliday in the seventh for a 5-1 lead.

Rosenthal walked pinch-hitter Adam LaRoche in the ninth with the bases loaded to make it 5-2.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The timing was perfect for Matt Adams’ dad to make a weekend visit to Busch Stadium. The burly first baseman is playing well after a stint on the 15-day disabled list, giving Jamie Adams a lot to smile about.

“I think anybody here would like to have their parents around, especially on Father’s Day weekend,” Adams said after hitting the go-ahead home run for the second straight game in a 4-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.

“Tonight was a little better,” Adams said. “Coming the day before Father’s Day is great.”

Adams connected against Stephen Strasburg in St. Louis’ three-run seventh inning, driving a 3-1 offering over the wall in right-center. On Friday, he homered on his first swing in his return from a left calf strain, lifting St. Louis to a 1-0 victory.

“I think I’m just waiting out the pitchers,” Adams said. “I went down to Memphis to get my timing back and my confidence is up.”

The Cardinals batted around in the seventh with the help of two infield hits, a hit batter and two walks, one of them by Matt Holliday with the bases loaded against Drew Storen. Allen Craig added an infield hit off Storen on a slow tapper halfway down the third-base line.

“What can you say?” Nationals catcher Jose Lobaton said. “They’ve been throwing good and today was one of those days.”

Jayson Werth had an RBI double in the first for the Nationals, who managed just four hits for a two-day total of six. It’s their first series loss since losing a pair to Miami from May 26-28, and they will try to avoid a three-game sweep in the series finale Sunday.

St. Louis reliever Randy Choate (1-2) needed one pitch to escape a bases-loaded threat in the seventh after a strong start from Shelby Miller, who gave up four hits in 6 2/3 innings. Pat Neshek worked a perfect eighth and Trevor Rosenthal finished for his 19th save in 22 chances.

Strasburg allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings in his first career appearance in St. Louis. It was his 11th consecutive quality start, but he dropped to 5-3 with a 2.22 ERA in that stretch that began April 20 when he gave up two runs in six innings at home against the Cardinals.

Strasburg didn’t pitch in the 2012 NL division series against St. Louis after the Nationals shut him down the final month of the season. They lost a five-game series.

“It was just fun to finally get a chance to pitch here,” Strasburg said. “I wanted to go out there and give it everything I had and I feel like I did that, so I can sleep easy tonight.”

Strasburg allowed just two homers in his previous seven starts, and Adams’ long ball was the Cardinals’ first off the right-hander in four career appearances.

“In the grand scheme of things you can always second-guess yourself, but I think if I threw a 3-1 changeup there, especially if he’s in swing mode, I probably wouldn’t have had that result,” Strasburg said.

“Who knows? I’m not going to dwell on it too much, just going to learn from it and move on.”

St. Louis pitchers have permitted just one run in the Cardinals’ last five victories, including a pair of 5-0 wins over Toronto and a 1-0 victory against Tampa Bay.

Miller matched his season best with seven strikeouts but walked four, including two for Strasburg, batting .077 with two hits on the year. Strasburg’s second walk loaded the bases, but Denard Span grounded out against Choate.

“I’ll say this just to make him mad, but it looks like he got a little tired,” manager Mike Matheny said of Miller. “Those are the things that they don’t like to hear, so he’ll come back and have something to say about that for sure.”

Span went 0 for 4 and is hitless in his last 18 at-bats over the last five games.

Anthony Rendon singled with one out in the first and scored from first on Werth’s double to right-center. Craig made a sliding stop to cut the ball off and couldn’t recover in time.

It was tied in the third after a two-out rally started by Miller’s fourth hit of the season — and third double. The pitcher scored standing up on Matt Carpenter’s single.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — After shutting out the Yankees for his first career complete game, Lance Lynn had a couple of duds.

With no margin for error, Lynn rediscovered his command while leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

“When you have stuff like that, that’s why you keep coming back,” Lynn said after throwing eight innings of two-hit ball. “It’s like golf. When you hit that drive like 310, that’s why you come back the next time.”

Matt Adams homered off a changeup down the middle by Jordan Zimmermann (5-3) in the second inning. It was Adams’ first swing since coming off the disabled list before the game.

“I was trying to make sure my timing was where it needed to be, see the ball and get the barrel on it,” Adams said. “Everything felt good.”

Lynn (7-4) struck out eight with no walks against the NL East leaders, who had won 10 of 13. Trevor Rosenthal added three more strikeouts in the ninth, working around rookie second baseman Kolten Wong’s two-out error on Denard Span’s routine grounder for his 18th save in 21 chances.

The Cardinals have won three 1-0 games, all on homers, with the others by Yadier Molina at Cincinnati on March 31 and Matt Holliday on June 10 at Tampa Bay.

Zimmermann gave up three hits, two of them by Adams, in eight innings. He threw 76 pitches for the lowest total in a complete game by a Nationals pitcher since the franchise relocated to Washington in 2005.

“I had a good fastball again, down in the zone, and the curveballs and sliders were there when I wanted them,” Zimmermann said. “Really, it was one mistake on a changeup that was down the middle. He made me pay.”

Zimmermann is 0-5 against the Cardinals and 0-2 against the Pirates, the only two NL teams he hasn’t beaten.

The Cardinals have won 10 of the last 12 regular-season meetings, and beat the Nationals in the 2012 NL division series. They are 20-5 overall at home against Washington.

“They were one pitch better than we were,” Nationals manager Matt Williams said. “So we’ll come get them tomorrow.”

Lynn retired his first 16 batters. He got some help from his defense when shortstop Jhonny Peralta went into the hole to snare Jayson Werth’s one-hop liner in the fourth and threw to first to end the inning.

Jose Lobaton singled with one out in the sixth for Washington’s first baserunner and took an extra base when Holliday bobbled the ball in left. But Zimmermann popped out and Span flied out to center to end the inning.

Lynn said he wasn’t overly disappointed by Lobaton’s hit.

“People get hits,” he said. “Not everybody throws a no-hitter every time, or it would be a boring game.”

Lynn is 22-9 at home for his career, and shut out the Yankees while throwing a career-high 126 pitches on May 27. He surrendered six runs in a total of 8 1/3 innings in a pair of losses in his next two starts at Toronto and against the Giants.

Lynn tinkered with his delivery before facing the Nationals. The difference was control of his two-seam and four-seam fastballs.

Zimmermann threw a two-hit shutout at San Diego his last start and worked 19 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings before Adams hit his fourth homer on a 1-0 pitch with two outs in the second. Adams was activated from the 15-day disabled list from a strained left calf earlier Friday and rookie Oscar Taveras was optioned to Triple-A Memphis.

The game was played in a snappy 2 hours, 3 minutes, fastest of the season at Busch Stadium.

“I wish we could do that every night,” Lynn said. “You could hang out with your family a little bit more.”

— Associated Press —

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays finally scored a run, and got a victory too.

Desmond Jennings had a two-run single during a four-run fourth inning and the Rays snapped a club-record 31-inning scoring drought en route to beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 Wednesday night.

“Outstanding,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. “The guys needed that, and you could just see them relax immediately.”

Tampa Bay, which won for just the second time in 16 games, had been shut out in its previous three games. The Rays had scored 35 runs over the previous 15 games.

“It’s been so awkward to watch this other side of this whole thing,” Maddon said. “I’m not going to say we’re cured, but I definitely believe it’s a step in the right direction.”

Yadier Molina had two RBIs for the Cardinals, who entered with three consecutive shutout pitching performances. St. Louis pitchers had their streak of 30 scoreless innings end.

The Rays’ big fourth inning came against Michael Wacha (4-5).

Matt Joyce had an RBI single, with a second run scoring when center fielder Peter Bourjos was charged with an error for misplaying the hit. After Wacha walked Yunel Escobar and Ryan Hanigan to load the bases, Jennings drove in two with a single.

“That’s a great feeling to come through and really kick-start the party,” Joyce said.

Wacha allowed four runs, four hits and four walks in five innings.

“He just never really found his fastball, for whatever reason,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “His timing was off and it was a fight for him.”

Wacha had given up three runs or less in 13 straight starts to begin the season, which was the longest season-opening stretch by a Cardinals pitcher since a 14-game run by Lee Meadows in 1917.

Bourjos was robbed of an extra-base hit with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth when right fielder Kevin Kiermaier made a full-extension diving catch on a liner.

“Kiermaier flying through the air, that’s the play of the game,” Maddon said. “Kiermaier’s play was totally uplifting.”

Bourjos called it unbelievable.

“Initially when it left the bat I didn’t see anybody over there,” Bourjos said. “But he covered a lot of ground.”

Tampa Bay extended its lead to 6-3 in the seventh on Evan Longoria’s RBI single and a sacrifice fly by James Loney.

Molina hit a two-run third-inning single before Matt Carpenter put the Cardinals ahead 3-0 on a run-scoring single in the fourth.

Rays starter Erik Bedard lasted just four innings, giving up three runs and eight hits. The left-hander entered with the best ERA (2.51) all-time in interleague play with at least 25 starts.

Juan Carlos Oviedo (2-2) went 1 1/3 innings for the win. Grant Balfour threw the final 2 1/3 innings for his 10th save.

— Associated Press —

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals are pitching so well all they need to win right now is one run.

Adam Wainwright became the National League’s first nine-game winner, and the Cardinals beat Tampa Bay 1-0 on Tuesday night, the Rays’ third straight shutout loss.

The Cardinals have three consecutive shutouts for the first time since April 2013. St. Louis, with 13 shutouts this season, was coming off 5-0 victories over Toronto on Saturday and Sunday.

“Our starting pitching has been extremely good these last few, to say the least,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said.

It is the Cardinals’ first stretch of three consecutive road shutouts since Sept. 29, 1962-April 10, 1963, when St. Louis had four in a row.

“Pretty amazing,” said St. Louis slugger Matt Holliday, who homered.

Tampa Bay has been shut out an American League-leading 10 times this season. The Rays, who have lost 14 of 15, have not scored a run in a club-record 28 innings.

“It’s kind of weird to watch because it just doesn’t stay that negative for that long normally,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “It just doesn’t but it has. This is truly one of those anomaly moments where we’ve got to stick together as a group.”

Wainwright (9-3) scattered seven hits over seven innings. Trevor Rosenthal got the final four outs, including a bases-loaded pop fly by Matt Joyce in the eighth, for his 17th save.

Holliday put the Cardinals up 1-0 with his fourth homer this season, a long drive to left center with two outs in the sixth off tough-luck loser Jake Odorizzi (2-7).

Holliday and Kolten Wong both returned to the Cardinals’ lineup. Holliday was scratched Sunday due to a sore lower back, while Wong sat out three games with left shoulder soreness.

Holliday said his back is still a little stiff.

“Loosened up enough so I could get some good swings,” he said.

Odorizzi, a Cardinals fan who grew up about 30 miles from Busch Stadium, had a strong performance in his first game against St. Louis. The right-hander gave up one run and three hits in a career-high 7 1/3 innings.

“Today I felt I was really executing my pitches and nothing they could do was going to beat me,” Odorizzi said. “One mistake by me, and I got beat. It was the best outing I’ve ever had in the big leagues.”

Odorizzi had allowed one baserunner, a fourth-inning walk to Holliday, before giving up consecutive two-out singles in the fifth to Jhonny Peralta and Jon Jay. The inning ended on a fly ball by Peter Bourjos.

The Rays threatened in both the first and fourth innings. Ben Zobrist hit a fly ball with two on to end the first. Logan Forsythe lined out to second with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth.

“It’s a tough lineup, it really is,” Wainwright said. “They’re going through a funk, I know. As soon as we leave town, they’re going to break out. I’ve got a feeling.”

Sam Freeman inherited two runners and then got two key outs in the eighth before Rosenthal replaced him.

— Associated Press —

TORONTO (AP) — Jaime Garcia and two relievers combined on a three-hitter, Matt Carpenter and Jhonny Peralta homered, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0 on Sunday.

Garcia (2-0) allowed three hits in seven innings, walked three and struck out four to win for the first time in three starts.

Pat Neshek worked the eighth and Trevor Rosenthal finished for the Cardinals, who have a Major League-high 12 shutouts this season. Texas entered Sunday with 11.

St. Louis won back-to-back games for the first time since May 24 and 25 against Cincinnati.

The AL East-leading Blue Jays, who had been blanked just once this season before Saturday, went scoreless for the second straight game and matched their season-low with three hits. Shelby Miller pitched a three-hitter to beat the Blue Jays 5-0 on Saturday.

Toronto lost consecutive games for the first time since May 29-30 against Kansas City. They haven’t lost three straight since dropping the first three of a four-game home series against the Angels from May 9-11. The Blue Jays had won seven series since.

The Cardinals opened the scoring with a four-run, bat-around second against Blue Jays right-hander Drew Hutchison. Peter Bourjos hit a sacrifice fly, Tony Cruz had an RBI double and Carpenter followed with a two-run homer, his first since April 4.

Peralta made it 5-0 when he led off the third with a drive to left, his team-leading 10th.

Hutchison (4-4) allowed five runs and six hits in three innings, his shortest start of the season. He walked one and struck out one.

Hutchison is 1/3 with an 8.72 ERA in five home starts and 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA in eight road starts.

Garcia had not walked a batter in four previous starts this season, but issued a pair in the first inning, with Melky Cabrera and Edwin Encarnacion both drawing free passes. Garcia struck out Brett Lawrie to strand both runners.

An infield single by Jose Reyes, a passed ball and a fielding error by Carpenter gave the Blue Jays runners at the corners with two outs in the fifth, but Garcia struck out Jose Bautista swinging.

Cardinals DH Matt Holliday was scratched from the lineup with a sore lower back and replaced by Yadier Molina.

— Associated Press —

TORONTO (AP) — A power-packed lineup has helped carry the Toronto Blue Jays to the top of the AL East. But those booming bats were no match for Shelby Miller.

Miller took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and finished with a three-hit shutout as the St. Louis Cardinals snapped Toronto’s six-game winning streak, 5-0 Saturday.

The Blue Jays failed to hit a home run for the first time in five games and were held to three hits, their lowest total of the season. Toronto was shut out for the second time in 2014, and the first time since April 17 at Minnesota.

“He carved us up pretty good,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said of Miller.

Mark Buehrle lost for the first time in eight starts despite allowing just one run, a solo homer by Randal Grichuk. Buehrle (10-2) had won six straight decisions.

“Buehrle was great,” Gibbons said. “His command was off a little bit, but he gutted it out for seven innings and did what he does.”

Buehrle allowed five hits and left with a 2.05 ERA, second in the AL to New York’s Masahiro Tanaka. He matched a season-high with five walks and struck out six.

Grichuk hit his first career home run as the Cardinals won for only the third time in 11 games.

“Hopefully we get the ball rolling,” Miller said.

Miller (7-5) struck out five and walked one. He retired the first 13 batters before walking Adam Lind in the fifth.

Miller had lost his previous three starts, permitting at least four runs each time. He was in command against Toronto, pitching the second complete game of his career. His other came May 10, 2013, when he gave up a leadoff single to Colorado’s Eric Young and then set down 27 batters in a row.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said Saturday’s performance might have been even better.

“This one, especially with the way their offense has been producing, is the best one I’ve seen,” Matheny said.

Jose Reyes lined a single to right field with two outs in the sixth for Toronto’s first hit. Melky Cabrera followed with a ball that nicked first baseman Allen Craig’s glove for a double, but Miller struck out Jose Bautista swinging at a high fastball to end the inning.

The Cardinals avoided dropping below .500. The NL champions scored more than two runs for just the third time in eight games.

Grichuk’s one-out homer in the fifth was just the third allowed by Buehrle this season, and the first since May 22.

“It was changeup away,” Buehrle said. “It was on the outside of plate, it may have been up a tad. I knew he hit it pretty good but I thought it was more of a pop fly so it kind of surprised me.”

St. Louis broke it open with four runs in the eighth. Mark Ellis drew a bases-loaded walk from Aaron Loup and one out later, Tony Cruz hit a two-run single.

Steve Delabar replaced Loup and issued back-to-back walks to Matt Carpenter and Grichuk that made it 5-0.

— Associated Press —