St. Louis won 6-4 win over Houston on Monday thanks to a five-run first, while the other split squad earned its victory over Boston with a seven-run eighth in its 13-8 win.
In the Houston game, David Freese hit a three-run home run in the first inning off Wandy Rodriguez and went 2-for-4. Ryan Ludwick went 2-for-4, including a two-run double in St. Louis’ five-run first inning. Ludwick led off the third with a double, and Joe Mather hit a solo homer in the ninth inning for his first long ball of the spring.
Kyle Lohse, who tossed four scoreless innings his previous start, gave up eight hits and three runs and struck out two batters in five innings and has a 4.60 ERA this spring. He threw 75 pitches. Left-hander Jaime Garcia worked the final four innings for his first save of the spring.
Against, Boston, Tyler Henley picked up an infield hit when no one covered first base on his comebacker, and an error on the play allowed Jon Jay to score the winning run in the bottom of the eighth. Jason LaRue doubled, homered and drove in three runs, and Matt Holliday doubled and had an RBI in his return to action after missing nearly two weeks with a strained right intercostal muscle. Skip Schumaker banged out four hits.
Brad Penny was hit hard, allowing seven runs on 10 hits in five innings with two strikeouts and one walk. But his teammates picked him up, with Dennys Reyes, Trever Miller and Ryan Franklin each turning in a shutout inning.