Shota Imanaga dominant as Cubs shutout Cardinals again

Shota Imanaga came off the injured list and allowed just one hit in five innings as the visiting Chicago Cubs blanked the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 Thursday afternoon.

The Cubs pitched their second straight shutout to earn a 2-2 split in the four-game series.

Imanaga (4-2) walked one and struck out three during his first start since recovering from a hamstring muscle strain suffered on May 4.

Reliever Caleb Thielbar retired the four batters he faced, then Brad Keller pitched two-thirds of an inning, Drew Pomeranz worked the eighth inning, and Daniel Palencia closed out the ninth for his eighth save.

Michael Busch went 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs to provide all the offense the Chicago pitchers needed.

Cardinals starter Andre Pallante (5-4) allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out two.

Busch's homer put the Cubs up 1-0 in the second inning.

Matt Shaw led off the third inning with a single, then he took second on a hit-and-run groundout and advanced to third on another groundout. After Seiya Suzuki walked, Pallante retired Pete Crow-Armstrong on an inning-ending liner to center field.

With one out in the fourth inning, singles by Busch, Carson Kelly and Nico Hoerner loaded the bases. Ian Happ drew a two-out walk to increase Chicago's lead to 2-0, but Kyle Tucker grounded out to strand three runners.

After allowing Masyn Winn's one-out single in the first inning, Imanaga retired 14 of next 15 hitters while cruising through the fifth inning.

Willson Contreras drew a one-out walk off Keller in the seventh inning and moved up on a wild pitch. After Nolan Arenado walked, Thomas Saggese grounded into a forceout and Nolan Gorman flied out to strand the runners.

The Cubs played small ball to make it 3-0 in the eighth inning. Crow-Armstrong led off with an infield single and raced to third on Dansby Swanson's single.

With one out, Crow-Armstrong scored while Swanson got caught in a rundown between first and second base.