ST. LOUIS _ The impending trade deadline brings with it a lot of uncertainty for the Cardinals. Most of that uncertainty surrounds Sunday's starter, Lance Lynn.
Unlike Oakland A's starter Sonny Gray, whose start scheduled for Sunday was postponed due to the trade talks surrounding him, the Cardinals sent Lynn to the mound for his regularly scheduled start for the series finale against the Diamondbacks.
Lynn persevered through a rocky second inning to record his fifth quality start in a row. The Cardinals lineup, led by Jose Martinez's three RBIs, provided just enough run support for Lynn to get his ninth win of the season and defeat the Diamondbacks, 3-2.
Martinez, starting in left field in place of Tommy Pham, hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the Cardinals on the board and then broke a 2-2 tie with a sacrifice fly that plated Jedd Gyorko in the bottom of the sixth.
After a scoreless first inning, Lynn faced Diamondbacks right fielder J.D. Martinez, who had already hit two home runs in the series, including a grand slam, to begin the second inning. Martinez drew a nine-pitch walk.
Shortstop Ketel Marte then hit a double that advanced Martinez to third. Martinez tagged up and scored with Chris Ianetta hit a sacrifice fly to center field. In an attempt to hold Marte at second base, Harrison Bader threw to third baseman Jedd Gyorko, but the ball flew over Gyorko's head and Marte took third.
Lynn then walked center fielder Gregor Blanco. Pitcher Taijuan Walker struck out, and Lynn walked David Peralta to load the bases with two outs.
The following batter, second baseman Chris Owings, squared up to bunt Lynn's first pitch. The pitch hit his hand that was holding the barrel of the bat and Owings had to leave the game. Former Cardinal Daniel Descalso took his place and found himself in the unusual position of pinch hitting with an inherited strike.
Lynn walked Descalso, his fourth walk of the inning, to score Marte. A pop up from Jake Lamb, on Lynn's 38th pitch of the inning, finally got the Cardinals' defense off the field.
Lynn exited after throwing 107 pitches and the much-maligned Cardinal bullpen closed the game out with three scoreless innings.
Tyler Lyons began the seventh inning by drawing a pop up from Diamondbacks leadoff man David Peralta, however he then gave up a double to Descalso.
That brought back-to-back All-Stars in Jake Lamb and Paul Goldschmidt to the plate. Lyons struck out Lamb, and Cardinals manager Mike Matheny turned to Matt Bowman to face the right-handed Goldschmidt. Bowman delivered, inducing a ground out to end the inning.
Seung-Hwan Oh turned in his sixth straight outing without giving up an earned run with a one-two-three eighth in which he struck out two. Trevor Rosenthal, who seized the closer role by recording two two-inning saves during this week-long home stand, struck out the side to complete the ninth and earn his third save in a week. Rosenthal's last seven pitches were strikes.
