Steven Matz, Giovanny Gallegos and JoJo Romero combined to throw a five-hitter as the St. Louis Cardinals blanked the visiting Chicago Cubs 3-0 on Sunday.
The Cardinals avoided a four-game sweep while snapping the Cubs' eight-game winning streak.
The resurgent Matz (2-7) allowed four hits and did not walk a batter over six innings. The left-hander has allowed just one run in 17 innings over his last three starts to lower his ERA from 4.86 to 4.06.
Gallegos held the Cubs hitless for two innings to earn the hold and Romero closed out the ninth inning to earn his first career save.
Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks (4-5) allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk over seven innings, with two strikeouts.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 first inning lead when Lars Nootbaar hit a leadoff double and Tyler O'Neill drove him in with a two-out single.
The Cubs threatened in the second inning, but failed to score. Yan Gomes hit a leadoff single and Christopher Morel hit a one-out single before Matz retired the next two batters.
St. Louis increased its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the inning.
Jordan Walker singled, stole second base, moved to third on Tyler Motter's single and scored on Andrew Knizner's single. With two outs, Paul Goldschmidt hit an RBI single. Hendricks retired Nolan Arenado on a groundout to prevent further damage.
Knizner just missed hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning. He blasted the ball high off the left field wall, then got thrown out by Morel while trying to stretch his hit into a double.
Alec Burleson hit a leadoff double in the sixth inning for the Cardinals, but Hendricks retired Walker, Motter and Knizner on groundouts to keep the Cardinals from adding to their run total.
Gomes hit a two-out double in the ninth inning for the Cubs, but Romero struck out Dansby Swanson to end the game.
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