ATLANTA — Mike Matheny saw a difference in Lance Lynn as Lynn approached his second start this year against the Atlanta Braves, the only team to beat him this season.
“He had fire in his eyes today,” Matheny said.
The St. Louis Cardinals extended the Braves’ longest losing streak in two years to eight games with an 8-2 victory Monday.
Matheny said Lynn threw “probably his best game.” He said Lynn, who was making his 10th start of the season and 12th of his career, isn’t sneaking up on any teams.
“You figure at this point they’ve seen quite a bit of him and he’s not a secret in the league anymore,” Matheny said.
Lynn (8-1) allowed 2 runs and 5 hits in 7 innings, striking out 8. Lynn lost to the Braves 7-4 on May 13 in St. Louis.
“They played a great game against me that game in St. Louis and there was a little added incentive to be sure,” Lynn said.
Atlanta is on its worst skid since the Braves lost nine in a row from April 21-29, 2010. The Braves have fallen from first place to a last-place tie with the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East at 26-24.
“We’ve always been known for our pitching, and we will,” Braves Manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “We’re just going through a stretch right now.”
Daniel Descalso hit a two-run home run as a fill-in starter at third base for David Freese, who was given a day off with a mild sprain of his right hand. Rafael Furcal had three hits, including a home run, and Matt Adams had three hits with three RBI for St. Louis.
PHILLIES 8, METS 4 Ty Wigginton drove in a career-high six runs and Cole Hamels won his eighth consecutive decision as Philadelphia beat host New York.
MARLINS 5, NATIONALS 3 Giancarlo Stanton hit his 11th home run this month to help host Miami beat Washington.
PIRATES 4, REDS 1 James McDonald scattered five hits over eight shutout innings as host Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati.
CUBS 11, PADRES 7 Host Chicago stopped its 12-game losing streak as Alfonso Soriano hit a go-ahead home run in a victory over San Diego.
BREWERS 3, DODGERS 2 Aramis Ramirez tied the game with a home run and singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning to help Milwaukee beat host Los Angeles.
ROCKIES 9-7, ASTROS 7-6 Dexter Fowler hit a game-ending triple off Brett Myers with one out in the 10th inning to give host Colorado a doubleheader sweep of Houston. The Rockies won the opener 9-7.
GIANTS 4, DIAMONDBACKS 2 Barry Zito out pitched Trevor Cahill, Brandon Belt hit an RBI triple and host San Francisco beat Arizona.
American League RED SOX 7, TIGERS 4 Felix Doubront allowed only four hits through six innings and Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered to lead host Boston over Detroit.
TWINS 5, ATHLETICS 4 Justin Morneau drove in two runs, including the tying double in the eighth inning, as host Minnesota beat Oakland.
WHITE SOX 2, RAYS 1 Chris Sale struck out a career-high 15, Adam Dunn hit a two-run home run and Chicago beat host Tampa Bay. Sale (6-2) allowed 1 run and 3 hits and walked 2 in 7 1/3 innings while finishing one strikeout shy of the team record. Jack Harshman struck out 16 against Boston on July 25, 1954.
INDIANS 8, ROYALS 5 Jose Lopez had three RBI and Jason Kipnis drove in two runs to help host Cleveland beat Kansas City.
BLUE JAYS 6, ORIOLES 2 Edwin Encarnacion and Kelly Johnson homered, Drew Hutchison struck out a career-high nine in seven shutout innings and visiting Baltimore beat Toronto.
RANGERS 4, MARINERS 2 Mike Napoli and Nelson Cruz both homered and Matt Harrison pitched eight innings to lead host Texas over Seattle.
Monday’s games
NATIONAL LEAGUE Philadelphia 8, NY Mets 4 St. Louis 8, Atlanta 2 Miami 5, Washington 3 Pittsburgh 4, Cincinnati 1 Chicago Cubs 11, San Diego 7 Colorado 9-7, Houston 7-6 San Francisco 4, Arizona 2 Milwaukee 3, LA Dodgers 2
AMERICAN LEAGUE Boston 7, Detroit 4 Minnesota 5, Oakland 4 Chicago White Sox 2, Tampa Bay 1 Cleveland 8, Kansas City 5 Toronto 6, Baltimore 2 Texas 4, Seattle 2 NY Yankees at LA Angels, (n)
Sports, Pages 20 on 05/29/2012