Buehler, Dodgers blank Cards to draw even in wildcard race

ST. LOUIS» In a pivotal series for the Dodgers, rookie Walker Buehler came through with a masterful performance.

Buehler allowed two hits in eight innings, Yasiel Puig homered twice and Los Angeles drew even with the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL wildcard race with a 30 victory on Friday. The Dodgers also moved within onehalf game of Colorado in the NL West.

Buehler (75) pitched beyond the seventh inning for the first time and earned his first victory since Aug. 17. He retired the first 13 batters before Paul DeJong singled to left field. Harrison Bader singled later in the fifth for the Cardinals’ only other hit.

“This was probably the best pitching performance of the year,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Not only Walker but across the board. Against a very good club in St. Louis on the road and obviously what’s at stake right now for each game. He wanted this moment and just coming out firing. His command. Just domination. He kind of did what he wanted to do tonight.”

Buehler struck out nine and walked two. In two career starts against St. Louis, the righthander has not allowed a run and has 18 strikeouts in 15 innings.

“He’s got some serious weapons,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “He’s throwing 9798 (mph), with command. When you can locate your fastball, regardless of velocity, that’s a nice weapon. Then you do it with that velocityandthenyoudoitwith some cut. And his cutter, at least from the side, it looked like it had some depth. Then second time through the lineup, start mixing in a changeup and hitting with that, that’s a pretty potent weap onry right there.”

The Dodgers and Cardinals are tied for the second NL wildcard position, four games behind Milwaukee for the top spot. But Los Angeles has its sights on the division crown and moved closer when the Rockies lost to San Francisco.

“Sometimes there’s teams you match up well against,” Buehler said. “It’s hard to explain. It’s just the way the game works and luckily tonight that worked out.”