CLEVELAND — Matt Carpenter’s two-run home run in the eighth inning lifted the St. Louis Cardinals to a 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians Thursday afternoon at Progressive Field.
Carpenter’s home run snapped a streak of 17 consecutive innings without a run by the Cardinals, who still won two of three games in Cleveland.
Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer pitched seven scoreless innings before starting the eighth inning by retiring shortstop Pete Kozma, on a flyout to left. Centerfielder Peter Bourjos drew a walk, and Cleveland manager Terry Francona went to his bullpen.
Left-hander Marc Rzepczynski (1-1) was brought in to face left-handed hitting third baseman Carpenter. Carpenter, who is hitting .314 vs. left-handers this season, pounded a 2-1 pitch over the wall in center field for his sixth home run, a two-run blast that gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.
Left-hander Kevin Siegrist (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings on one hit to get the win. Right-hander Trevor Rosenthal pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up his 12th save.
Cleveland’s only run came on a solo home run by left fielder Michael Brantley off right-hander Michael Wacha in the sixth inning.
Less than 24 hours after right-hander Corey Kluber struck out 18 in eight innings in a 2-0 Cleveland win, Bauer, in his first career appearance vs. St. Louis, struck out 10 in 7 1/3 innings, giving up one run on four hits and three walks. Bauer struck out each St. Louis starter at least once, with the exception of designated hitter Matt Holliday and second baseman Kolten Wong.
The Indians made right-hander Michael Wacha, the Cardinals’ starter, work hard right out of the gate. Second baseman Jason Kipnis, leading off the bottom of the first, ended a 12-pitch battle with Wacha by lining a double into the right field corner. Kipnis was left stranded, but the Indians sent five men to the plate and forced Wacha to throw 35 pitches. Wacha pitched five innings, throwing 105 pitches and giving up one run on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.
The Cardinals attempted to threaten scoring on Bauer in the second and fourth.
In the second inning left fielder Mark Reynolds led off with a single. Wong flied out, but catcher Yadier Molina singled, putting runners at first and second with one out.
But Bauer retired right fielder Jason Heyward on a fly ball to left field and Kozma on an infield popout to end the innings.
In the fourth inning Reynolds doubled with one out and went to third on a wild pitch. But after Wong walked, he was thrown out trying to steal second, and Bauer then struck out Molina to end the inning.
NOTES: The Cardinals placed OF Jon Jay on the disabled list, retroactive to May 10, with left wrist tendinitis. To replace Jay on the roster, the Cardinals recalled INF Xavier Scruggs from Triple-A Memphis. … Cardinals OF Matt Holliday was not in the original starting lineup Thursday after getting hit in the left elbow by a pitch in Wednesday’s game, but Holliday lobbied with manager Mike Matheny, and was a late addition to the lineup as designated hitter. … In Wednesday’s game Indians 2B Jason Kipnis became the first Indians player to reach base via two hit-by-pitches and a walk since Brian Giles, on Aug. 9, 1998.