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 Lyons pitched five innings to post the victory and went 2-for-2 with
a walk, his first three runs in the majors and his first RBI as the
Cards battered the Philadelphia Phillies 12-4 in a meeting of the
major leagues' best and worst teams.
Catcher Yadier Molina and second baseman Kolton Wong hit two-run
homers for St. Louis (44-23) and shortstop Jhonny Peralta and first
baseman Mark Reynolds had two-run doubles.
Left fielder Randal Grichuk went 3-for-5 and hit a solo homer for
St. Louis, which achieved season highs in runs and hits (16).
The Cardinals, held to three runs or fewer in their previous five
games and four or fewer in their previous 12, also benefited from 10
walks and a Philadelphia error.
"We catch some heat sometimes when you can't put up the big
offensive numbers," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "You know
with a lineup like this it's going to happen. ... It's good to see
these kinds of days to give everybody a good shot in the arm,
confidence-wise, about our offense."
First baseman Ryan Howard hit a three-run homer for the Phillies
(23-46), who lost for the 10th time in 11 games and the 20th time in
24 oitings.
Friday's loss came three days after Philadelphia absorbed a 19-3
beating from the Baltimore Orioles.
Lyons (2-0), who is filling in for injured Lance Lynn (forearm
strain) in the Cards' rotation during his second major league stint
of the season, worked five innings and yielded three runs and seven
hits while striking out five and walking one.
His first major-league RBI came on a single in the five-run fifth.
He became the first St. Louis pitcher to score three runs or more in
a game since Matt Morris on April 16, 2003, at Milwaukee, and the
first major league pitcher to score three or more since Cincinnati's
Mike Leake did it against the Phillies on April 17, 2013.
Lyons couldn't remember ever scoring three times in a game on any
level, nor did he know what became of the ball he hit to drive in
his first run.
Teammate Greg Garcia claimed Lyons was a good hitter at Triple-A
Memphis, though Lyons believed otherwise.
"I've done my fair share of striking out," he said, "but with two
strikes I try to shorten up -- at least slap at it and see if I
can't put it in play and after that hopefully get lucky."
Phillies starter Phillippe Aumont (0-1), making his first career
start in place of injured Cole Hamels (hamstring), went four innings
and allowed six runs and five hits while striking out three and
walking seven. He became the first Phillies starter to walk seven
since Paul Abbott issued nine bases on balls on Aug. 7, 2004,
against the Dodgers.
Aumont's control problems are nothing new. He walked 41 while
pitching 65 innings for Triple-A Lehigh Valley and issued 27 walks
while working 39 2/3 innings in relief for the Phillies from 2012 to
2014.
"It has to be between the ears," the former first-round pick said of
his big-league struggles. "It's frustrating to be in the position,
fighting it. I'm just out there trying to stay positive. ... It was
just a constant battle with myself.
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"That's what it's been my whole career, just me, myself and I out
there. Battling. Nobody else. Because when I execute pitches, I get
these guys out. Down there and up here."
It was the 24th straight game in which a Phillies starting pitcher
failed to post a victory, breaking the previous franchise record of
23 set in 1961. Philadelphia starters are 0-15 with nine
no-decisions during the current stretch.
Molina and Wong hit their two-run homers off Aumont in the four-run
second. It was the second home run of the season for Molina and the
eighth for Wong.
Peralta made it 6-0 with his two-run double in the fourth and St.
Louis broke it open by scoring five times off reliever Justin
DeFratus in the fifth.
Lyons had his RBI single and third baseman Matt Carpenter added one.
Peralta, who drove in three runs in all, added a sacrifice fly and
Reynolds capped the inning with his two-run double, giving the Cards
an 11-0 lead.
Howard countered with his homer in the bottom of the fifth. It was
his 13th of the season and it followed a single by center fielder
Ben Revere and a double by shortstop Cesar Hernandez earlier in the
inning.
Grichuk homered in the sixth for his fourth of the season.
An RBI groundout by Philadelphia shortstop Cesar Hernandez in the
eighth shaved the gap to 12-4.
"Tough game," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Not much out
there going right out there tonight. We fell behind early and with
not swinging the bats, it was a tough combination. Right from the
get-go it was a tough game."
NOTES: The Phillies optioned RHP Hector Neris to Triple-A Lehigh
Valley to make room for RHP Phillippe Aumont on the roster. ...
Philadelphia also announced that LHP Adam Morgan will be brought up
from Lehigh Valley to make his first major league start on Sunday
against St. Louis in place of injured Jerome Williams. A
corresponding roster move will be made in the meantime. ... The
Cardinals optioned RHP Mitch Harris and C Ed Easley to Triple-A
Memphis and recalled INF Greg Garcia and 1B Xavier Scruggs. ...
Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said before the game that LHP Cole
Hamels was scheduled to throw on the side on Friday and in the
bullpen on Sunday. If all goes as planned, he will make a regularly
scheduled start next Wednesday against the Yankees in the Bronx.
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