Lynn solid but outworked as Cards lose to Cubs 2-1

[May 08, 2013]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Lance Lynn was as dominant as he's been all season -- except when he tried to sneak a fastball by Nate Schierholtz.

Travis Wood pitched impressively into the seventh inning to outduel Lynn, Schierholtz hit a two-run homer and the Chicago Cubs snapped the St. Louis Cardinals' six-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory Tuesday night.

The Cardinals' streak was their longest since an eight-game run July 11-21, 2010.

Lynn (5-1) was trying to become the National League's first pitcher to win six games. After a bloop single by Alfonso Soriano in the fourth, Schierholtz tagged Lynn for a two-run homer and gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead in the rivals' first of 19 meetings this season.

The Cardinals right-hander pitched seven innings and gave up two runs and four hits while striking out eight.

"You look back at it, you gave up two runs one swing. I got behind him and made him hit it and he put a good swing on it so you tip your cap there, but for the most part I threw the ball well. That was only one I wanted back," said Lynn. "I felt really good and that was most disappointing thing about tonight. One pitch costs you the game and that is tough to swallow with how good how I felt."

Last year, Lynn went 6-0 to start the season, earning his sixth victory on May 7.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny thought Lynn may have had his best stuff all season.

"He was very good all night long," he said. "Not very often that one pitch beats you. He did a great job. I thought he had one of his better breaking balls than he has had all year. A lot of up and down to it. Fastball, a lot movement and good explosion at the end. It was some of his best stuff."

Wood (3-2) allowed one run and five hits while striking out eight in 6 2-3 innings for his first win since April 27 at Miami.

Carlos Marmol relieved Wood with two outs in the seventh and pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings. In the eighth, he allowed a single to Yadier Molina and walked Jon Jay before getting out of the inning by picking Molina off between second and third.

"We know the tendencies of Molina. He likes to sneak steal when nobody's paying attention. We took advantage of his aggressiveness in the situation," said Cubs manager Dale Sveum.

Matheny said he called for Molina to run.

"He (Marmol) is slow to the plate and I was thinking to get to third base, because my speed, because with my speed if he hits a base hit it is going to be tough to score from second, so I was trying to be aggressive. Like I said, it didn't work," said Molina.

Kevin Gregg pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save in five opportunities since signing with Chicago on April 15.

The Cubs have won two straight since dropping four in a row.

"I mean, that whole club over there is outstanding. They've got good players, solid players, good staff and everything. It's a confidence booster for us to come in and take Game 1 from them," said Wood.

The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead with no outs in the second inning when Allen Craig hit a 2-2 fastball into the left field bleachers for his second home run of the year. Craig, who hit 22 last season, has two in the Cardinals' last three games.

Entering Tuesday, Craig was 9 for 22 over his last five games with seven RBIs. He had four RBIs Sunday in a win at Milwaukee.

St. Louis had a chance to add to its lead when Matt Carpenter singled and Carlos Beltran doubled with two outs in the third, but Wood got Matt Holliday to ground to short.

Beltran and Molina each had two hits for St. Louis.

Wood earned his first win at Wrigley Field since July 1 when he beat Houston. Over his previous 12 starts at Wrigley, Wood was 0-7 with a 4.58 ERA.

The Cardinals loaded the bases in the fourth but Lynn struck out to end the inning.

Schierholtz's home run was the Cubs' 40th of the season, good for third in the National League, entering Tuesday.

NOTES: Prior to Tuesday's game the Cardinals activated 1B Matt Adams from the 15-day disabled list. Adams was on the DL retroactive to April 22 with a right oblique strain and pinch-hit in the ninth, popping out to left. ... Jose Oquendo returned to coaching third base for the Cardinals after missing Sunday's game to tend to family matters. Chris Maloney went back to first. ... Wednesday's pitching matchup is the Cardinals' Jake Westbrook (2-1, 1.07) against the Cubs' Carlos Villanueva (1-2, 2.85).

[Associated Press]

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