Lugo's Gem Leads Cardinals to 5-0 Win Over Yankees
Cardinals' Young Starter Impresses in Shutout Victory
St. Louis Cardinals' rookie starting pitcher Genesis Lugo turned in a dazzling performance on Tuesday night, leading his team to a 5-0 shutout victory over the New York Yankees at Busch Stadium.
Lugo, making just his sixth career start, allowed only two hits over six shutout innings, striking out eight batters and walking none. The 22-year-old righty lowered his season ERA to a minuscule 1.38.
Cardinals' Offense Provides Early Support
The Cardinals' offense provided Lugo with plenty of run support early in the game, scoring three runs in the first inning off Yankees' starter Masahiro Tanaka.
- Dexter Fowler led off the game with a single and stole second base.
- Kolten Wong followed with a single to center, driving in Fowler.
- Matt Carpenter then doubled to right, scoring Wong and Paul DeJong.
The Cardinals added two more runs in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Marcell Ozuna and an RBI single by Yadier Molina.
Yankees' Offense Silenced
The Yankees' offense, which had been averaging over five runs per game entering Tuesday's contest, was held in check by Lugo and the Cardinals' bullpen.
Tanaka allowed three runs on six hits over four innings, while relievers David Robertson, Dellin Betances, and Aroldis Chapman combined to allow just one hit over the final five innings.
Lugo's Impressive Outing
Lugo's outing was one of the most impressive by a Cardinals' starter this season.
His eight strikeouts matched his total from his previous three starts combined, and his six shutout innings were the most by a Cardinals' starter since Mike Leake threw seven shutout innings against the Chicago Cubs on May 12.
Conclusion
The Cardinals' victory was their fourth in a row and improved their record to 37-29 on the season.
The Yankees, meanwhile, dropped to 38-28 with the loss and saw their three-game winning streak snapped.
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