Lynn pitches Cardinals past Rockies 6-2

[July 06, 2012]  ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Rookie right-hander Lance Lynn tossed six shutout innings and Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran drove in a pair of runs apiece, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.

St. Louis has won four of its last five and 11 of 14 against Colorado. The Rockies have lost four of five. Colorado has scored 13 runs in its last six games.

Lynn (11-4) bounced back with a strong effort following three successive poor outings. The All-Star surrendered four hits and struck out seven in winning for the first time since June 13.

Lynn, who got off to a 10-2 start this season, was 0-2 with a 9.98 ERA in his three previous starts.

He returned to his aggressive early-season form on Thursday retiring 10 successive batters from the second to fifth innings. Lynn walked two of the first three batters but did not issue a walk the rest of the way.

Holliday went 1-for-4 with a run-scoring groundout in the first and a bases-loaded single in the fifth off Colorado starter Christian Friedrich (4-6), who gave up six earned runs in 4 1-3 innings.

Holliday is 34-for-68 with four homers and 21 RBI in his last 18 games.

St. Louis scored five runs in the fifth inning to take a 6-0 lead. Jon Jay drew a bases-loaded walk and Holliday followed with a single to push the lead to 3-0. Beltran added a two-run, bases-loaded double off the base of the center-field wall. Holliday came in to score the final run of the inning sliding under tag of catcher Wilin Rosario on a grounder by Allen Craig.

Tyler Colvin hit a two-run homer in the eighth off reliever Victor Marte to bring the Rockies to within 6-2. Colvin had three homers in the four-game series.

St. Louis closer Jason Motte came on with two on and two out in the ninth and retired Carlos Gonzalez on a grounder for his 19th save in 23 opportunities.

Gonzales had a 12-game hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-4 performance.

St. Louis reliever Barret Browning pitched a perfect seventh and has set down all 12 batters he has faced in three outings this season.

NOTES: The Rockies celebrated their 21st birthday Thursday. The NL awarded one of two expansion franchises to Denver on July 5, 1991. Miami was given the other franchise. ... Game-time temperature on Thursday was 102, passing the 100-degree mark for the second night in a row. The temperature at game time was 103 on Wednesday . ..Jake Westbrook (7-6, 3.91) will face Florida right-hander Ricky Nolasco (7-6, 4.62) in the opener of a three-game series on Friday in St Louis. Lefty Drew Pomeranz (0-3, 3.72) pitches for Colorado against Stephen Strasburg (9-3, 2.81) in a three-game series in Washington.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.