Leake cruises, Cards hit 3 HRs in win over D-backs

ST. LOUIS — Behind seven shutout innings from Mike Leake and three home runs, the Cardinals powered their way past the D-backs, 6-2, on Saturday to even the three-game series at Busch Stadium.

The momentum Leake generated on the last road trip returned home with him, as he rolled off a third straight victory by blanking Arizona on four hits in a deep start the Cardinals desperately needed. After going winless in his first six outings, Leake has allowed two runs in his last 21 innings. He has also made more starts of at least seven innings (four) than anyone else on the Cardinals’ staff.

“We needed Mike today,” said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, whose bullpen had covered nine innings over the previous two days. “He was solid right from the start. He had everything he was looking for, mixing it up, getting ground balls. Guys made real nice plays behind him.”

Each of the first three Arizona pitchers to appear was stung by the long ball. Arizona starter Robbie Ray served up a two-run blast to Jedd Gyorko in the second of Ray’s five-inning start. Matt Adams later took Jake Barrett deep in the sixth before Yadier Molina punctuated the Cardinals’ big offensive day with a two-run shot off Andrew Chafin in the seventh. It marked the seventh time this season the Cardinals have hit at least three homers in a win.

“It was great to get us on the board early and jump ahead,” Gyorko said after hitting his first home run since April 24. “I feel after [Friday’s] game, we really wanted to jump ahead early as quick as we can, and [with] the way Mike threw the ball today, that’s all we needed.”

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDGoing the other way: Adams continued his torrid May with his sixth-inning blast, giving him 11 RBIs in 13 games this month. It was also …

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