Los Angeles let this one leake away.
Mike Leake allowed four hits over eight innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-1, and even up the best of their three-game series on Wednesday night at Chavez Ravine.
Leake (5-2) lowered his ERA to a National League-leading 1.91, leapfrogging Clayton Kershaw who took over the crown the night prior against the Redbirds.
"I did a good job of keeping the ball down tonight," said Leake. "I wanted to go back out there for the ninth, but we have no rest coming up, so it was wise to wait and go to the bullpen tonight."
The new NL ERA leader allowed just one run on four hits with no walks and five strikeouts in a season-high eight innings.
Entering the game, most thought that with Leake and Dodgers' starter Rich Hill on the mound, that the game would be similar to the pitcher's duel seen the night prior.
However, Hill (1-2) did not hold up his end of the bargain.
The L.A. left-hander allowed a season-high five runs on four hits in just four innings as he lost his second game of the season.
"It was a bad outing," said Hill. "I take responsibility for that. Mechanically I was a little off and the ball was jumping all over the place. I really need to work on some things this week to get ready for the next game."
Hill issued seven walks in the game, a career-high, and the most issued by any Dodgers' pitcher this season.
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Kolten Wong drove in the first two runs of the game for the Cardinals and Jedd Gyorko had three hits and drew a walk in the two-run second inning that gave the Cardinals the lead for good.
"We were behind the eight-ball tonight," said Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts. "Rich [Hill] just didn't really have any consistency tonight."
Yadier Molina hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. Molina's streak ties Kolten Wong for the Cardinals' longest this season.
Yadier Molina hits a solo home run to left field to extend the Cardinals' lead to 6-0 in the top of the 7th inning!!! #STLCards pic.twitter.com/47n5pWg4wk— TheRenderMLB (@TheRenderMLB) May 25, 2017
Chris Taylor made his first start in center field for the Dodgers, replacing Joc Pederson who was out with a stiff neck.
Chris Taylor makes a leaping catch while crashing into the wall in center field to retire Dexter Fowler in his first start in the outfield!! pic.twitter.com/LmfrKoc1FJ— TheRenderMLB (@TheRenderMLB) May 25, 2017
Corey Seager snapped his 0-for-10 hitless streak with a double in the seventh inning.
Cody Bellinger drove in the only run of the game for the Boys in Blue, but comitted a costly error in the outfield when he let a ball go under his glove, allowing a run to score.
UP NEXT
Former roommate of Dodgers' pitcher Ross Stripling takes the mound for St. Louis tomorrow when RHP Michael Wacha gets the start. Japanese right-hander, Kenta Maeda is expected to come off the disabled list and start for the Dodgers.
