St. Louis right-hander Lance Lynn looks to win his third straight start when the Cardinals play the second of their four-game series at the Washington Nationals on Saturday. The Cardinals rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Nationals 7-6 on Friday night, with the go-ahead run scoring on a passed ball in the 11th inning.
Lynn (4-3, 3.59 ERA) was roughed up by the Miami Marlins on June 18 and saw his ERA climb to 4.08.
His past two efforts have been stellar. Over 12 2/3 innings, he has allowed one run on six hits while striking out 11 and walking one. On Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds, he gave up two hits over six scoreless innings.
Relying on his fastball, the 37-year-old Lynn threw a first-pitch strike to the first 16 hitters he faced. "I've made a long career out of doing it this way," Lynn said. "(First-pitch) strikes help with not walking guys and it all kind of goes hand in hand.
Successful outings usually mean you get ahead, you stay ahead, and you make quality pitches." Lynn is 3-2 with a 3.90 ERA in seven games (five starts) versus Washington.
The Nationals counter with 25-year-old left-hander MacKenzie Gore (6-7, 3.47). After struggling against the San Diego Padres on June 25 (five earned runs in five innings), Gore bounced back versus the New York Mets on Monday, giving up one run on five hits over 5 2/3 innings.
He struck out eight and walked one while throwing 104 pitches and left with the lead in a game Washington lost. "I felt good, but it was the rig.