MILWAUKEE (AP) - Randal Grichuk hit a three-run homer to cap a six-run fifth inning, and Lance Lynn pitched the St. Louis Cardinals past the Milwaukee Brewers 6-0 on Friday night.
Lynn (9-6) stranded nine runners in six innings as the NL Central leaders became the first major-league team to reach 70 wins this season. He allowed six hits and four walks while throwing 109 pitches.
It was the second consecutive shutout and 12th this season for the Cardinals (70-39), who beat Cincinnati 3-0 on Thursday behind All-Star Michael Wacha.
Brewers rookie Tyler Cravy (0-3) replaced veteran Kyle Lohse in the rotation and had little trouble with St. Louis until unraveling in the fifth. The Cardinals had three doubles, a walk and a single in the inning before Grichuk hit his 14th homer.
The Cardinals have won 42 of 63 games against the Brewers since St. Louis beat Milwaukee in six games in the 2011 NL Championship Series.
Cravy allowed only three hits and a walk through the first four innings. Brandon Moss and Stephen Piscotty hit consecutive doubles to open the fifth to make it 1-0. One out later, Matt Carpenter hit the first of his two doubles, scoring Piscotty for a 2-0 lead.
Kolten Wong walked and Jason Heyward singled to score Carpenter. Grichuk then hit a 1-1 pitch into the right-center stands.
Cravy pitched five innings, giving up six runs and eight hits.
The Brewers left two runners on in the first, second and fourth against Lynn. Milwaukee loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but the big right-hander struck out pinch-hitter Logan Schafer to end his night on the mound.
Carlos Villanueva pitched three perfect innings for his second save.
Since returning to the leadoff spot for the Cardinals on July 30, Carpenter is batting .406 (13-for-32) with five home runs and 10 RBI.
Lohse, demoted to the bullpen after going 5-13 with a 6.31 ERA in 22 starts, made his first relief appearance since Sept. 8, 2009, when he pitched a scoreless inning for the Cardinals against Milwaukee. The right-hander worked two shutout innings in this one.
The game was a rematch of the starting pitchers from June 2, when Lynn and the Cardinals beat the Brewers 1-0 in Cravy's major-league debut.
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Milwaukee. Shane Peterson went 3-for-4 with three singles.
Trainer's Room
Cardinals: Citing the need to rest arms in the bullpen, the team recalled LHP Tyler Lyons from Triple-A Memphis and optioned INF Greg Garcia to its top farm club. "We have some guys that are beat up," manager Mike Matheny said. It is the fourth time Lyons has been recalled this season. He is 2-1 with a 5.02 ERA in six starts for the Cardinals this year, but will pitch out of the bullpen this time.
Brewers: Trailing 6-0, the Brewers removed Ryan Braun after seven innings. He also was removed after seven innings Monday in a 13-5 loss. He missed two games in late July with a strained ribcage.
Up Next
Cardinals: St. Louis has been shut out in four of Jaime Garcia's nine starts, but the left-hander has fared well against Milwaukee. He is 6-4 with a 3.09 ERA in his career against the Brewers.
Brewers: Wily Peralta will make his third start since returning from the disabled list with a strained left oblique. He struggled in his last start, allowing six runs in 31/3 innings of a 13-5 loss to San Diego on Monday.