PHOENIX (AP) — Rubby De La Rosa struck out a career-high 10 and pitched two-hit ball through seven innings, Chris Herrmann and Brandon Drury homered and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 on Thursday night.
The Diamondbacks forced a split in the four-game series. De La Rosa (3-3) had been shaky this year and was demoted to the bullpen for a time but turned in his second straight strong start.
Herrmann's two-run home run — after Drury's blooper fell between center fielder Stephen Piscotty and shortstop Aledmys Diaz for a double — gave the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead in the second. Drury lined a 2-1 pitch from Michael Wacha (2-1) into the left field seats for a solo shot in the fourth.
It was Drury's second home run in two days.
Wacha (2-1) lasted seven innings and pitched effectively except for the homers and a wild pitch. He struck out nine with two walks (one intentional) and allowed three runs on five hits.
The Cardinals didn't get a baserunner past second base against De La Rosa, who was lifted in the bottom of the seventh for pinch-hitter Yasmany Tomas. Tomas was up with runners on second and third and two out after Wacha's wild pitch, but Wacha struck him out looking.
Daniel Hudson and Brad Ziegler each threw a scoreless inning, with Ziegler earning his fifth save. Jean Segura stole his 100th career base in the eighth inning.
Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a second-inning single.
DIAMONDBACKS MOVES
The Diamondbacks, after sending reliever Dominic Leone to Triple-A Reno following Wednesday night's game, recalled right-handed reliever Jake Barrett. Barrett opened the season in the majors before being sent to Reno, where he appeared in three games.
DIVISION PROGNOSTICATION
Only 2 1/2 games separate the top four teams in the NL West standings. Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale was asked if it's an indication of how the division race will go this season. "Somebody's going to go on a run and we're going to get hot and take off, and that's usually what happens," Hale said. "You feel good about being around .500, but then all of a sudden you look up and somebody reels off 10 in a row. We'd like to be that team."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cardinals: OF Jeremy Hazelbaker wasn't in Thursday's starting lineup but is fine after a trainer checked on him in the middle of an at-bat on Wednesday, manager Mike Matheny said. Hazelbaker paused and stepped out of the batter's box, which brought out the trainer and Matheny.
Diamondbacks: Reliever Josh Collmenter pitched two innings, allowing three runs on four hits with four strikeouts in an extended spring training game Thursday. Collmenter is on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: Mike Leake (0-2) is set for his fifth start of the season when he goes against the Washington Nationals. Leake has allowed four runs or more in each of his four starts this season and is 3-3 in nine career starts against Washington.
Diamondbacks: Robbie Ray will make his fourth start of the season when he takes the ball Friday against the Colorado Rockies. Ray has yielded two runs or fewer in three of his starts. He made his Diamondbacks debut on May 6, 2015 against Colorado and held them to a run on five hits in six innings.
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