Cards' Lynn has sharp outing before rain arrives

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- St. Louis Cardinals right-handed starter Lance Lynn allowed one hit in four innings, striking out three Red Sox batters and walking none in an exhibition game that was rained out in the fifth inning Monday.

The game was halted with the Cardinals leading in the middle of the fifth inning.

After Pablo Sandoval doubled leading off the second, Lynn retired the next three batters on two groundouts and a strikeout.

"He looked great," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Got him in a tough spot there, man on third and one out, and I thought he even got better. Good sink, good life on the ball. I don't necessarily need to see his competitive nature. We all know that. He's always going to come with it. I just like watching how the ball's coming out of his hand. It looks heavy. Got to see movement, depth to his sinker. See him throwing the breaking ball in tough counts. He's feeling confident with it. He threw the changeup, the cutter. All of them looked right where they need to be right now."

With the game three outs shy of being official, rain started and the game was called after a 55-minute wait. There was standing water on the field when the decision was made not to continue.

Boston's Rick Porcello gave up two runs and six hits in five innings.

Red Sox manager John Farrell and Matheny walked the field with two umpires before the decision was made not to resume. Farrell said there was some thought given to continuing the game.

"The amount of standing water, the projected time to squeegee it off and we were still running the risk of more rain coming," Farrell said. "It was in the best interest to call it when we did."''

Next

• The Cardinals play Washington on Wednesday.