Cardinals scratch and claw to 4-3 win, cooling off the red-hot Dodgers

ST. LOUIS — Marcell Ozuna homered to back a solid start by Miles Mikolas, and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Dodgers on Monday night, ending Los Angeles‘ five-game winning streak.

Mikolas (1-1) allowed three runs on five hits in six innings, working around three hit batters in the first five innings. He had never hit more than one batter in a game and now has 17 in his career.

For the Dodgers, the loss could be painful because of another groin injury to starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu, who left with two outs in the second inning.

St. Louis rallied with two runs in the seventh. Jose Martinez singled off Joe Kelly (1-2) to drive in Matt Carpenter, who had singled off Scott Alexander. Paul Goldschmidt later scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by Kelly.

With the Cardinals trailing 3-2, Mikolas got out of a jam in the sixth when Russell Martin hit a flyball to short center. Harrison Bader raced in to make the catch and threw home. Kike Hernandez, who had homered, was around third base, and catcher Yadier Molina threw to second to complete the double play.

John Gant worked two scoreless innings in relief and Jordan Hicks pitched the ninth for his second save.

Ozuna homered off Ryu in the first to tie the game at 2. Los Angeles had taken the lead on a fielder’s choice and a double by A.J. Pollack.

Corey Seager put the Dodgers ahead in the fifth with an RBI single.

EARLY EXIT

Ryu was diagnosed with a strained left groin, the same injury that forced him to miss more than half of last season. He threw a strike to Mikolas before stepping off the mound. The Dodgers assembled, and Ryu walked off. The 32-year-old left-hander threw 34 pitches, allowing two runs on two with a strikeout and a walk. Ryu is 2-0 with a 3.07 ERA. Dylan Floro relieved.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw, who began the season in the injured list with shoulder inflammation, will make his second rehab start Tuesday at Double-A Tulsa. In his first rehab start last Thursday, Kershaw gave up two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings against San Antonio. He struck out and walked two. If his start goes well, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw will rejoin the team next weekend.

Cardinals: OF Tyler O’Neill is playing with a sore toe he hurt Saturday. O’Neill entered the game in the seventh inning, replacing Martinez in right field.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: Right-hander Ross Stripling (0-0, 2.31) will be making his third start. He allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings in last start and got a no-decision in a 5-3 win over San Francisco.

Cardinals: Right-hander Dakota Hudson (0-1, 5.40) will be making his second start. In his last outing, he pitched two-thirds of an inning, stranding the bases loaded in the 10th inning of a 5-4 win over Pittsburgh.