Lohse ends winless stretch in 4-0 win

LOS ANGELES — Kyle Lohse won for the first time in almost a month, pitching six scoreless innings and leading St. Louis to a 4-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.

Lohse (4-2) scattered six hits, struck out five and walked none to record his first victory since April 27 against Houston. The right-hander, coming off consecutive no-decisions against Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay, allowed only one runner past second base. That was in the sixth, when he retired Jeff Kent on a flyout with two men in scoring position.

Brad Penny (5-5) gave up four runs and four hits over seven innings on his 30th birthday, striking out five and walking two.

The loss gave the two-time All-Star one more than he had all of last season, when he tied a personal high with 16 victories and finished with a career-best 3.03 ERA. He is 0-3 with a 9.13 ERA in four starts since his last win May 2 at Colorado.

The Cardinals opened the scoring during a four-run third. Penny walked Adam Kennedy and Skip Schumaker with two out, then gave up an RBI single to Chris Duncan and an RBI double to Albert Pujols before Rick Ankiel capped the rally with a two-run double. Penny then retired 12 of his next 13 batters before he was lifted for a pinch-hitter.

In three of the four games this season in which Penny has given up four runs in an inning, those were the only runs he allowed.

— AP