Dodgers blanked by Cardinals in series opener

ST. LOUIS -- Following a brief rain delay, the Los Angeles Dodgers were shut out 5-0 by the St. Louis Cardinals in the series opener on Friday evening at Busch Stadium. Los Angeles is now 38-26 and 15-15 on the road this season.

After being recalled to take the mound in the series opener, Justin Wrobleski made just his second start and third appearance this season. The 24-year-old struggled to convert with two outs, allowing St. Louis to jump on him for a pair of runs in the second and fifth innings.

Catcher Pedro Pagés blasted a two-run homer in the second that scored Nolan Arenado and opened the scoring on the night. In the fifth, it was Brendan Donovan who looped a two-out single into center field that scored two more and made it a 4-0 game.

Wrobleski exited after dealing six innings total, conceding six hits and striking out five. It was his lengthiest appearance at the major league level this year and his best start by far. He had allowed eight earned runs in his first start against the Washington Nationals back on April 8.

At the plate, the Dodgers' lineup struggled greatly to convert with runners in scoring position against Cardinals' starter Sonny Gray. Despite allowing eight hits across his 6 1/3 innings of work, Los Angeles went a mere 1-10 with runners on second and beyond. 

Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernández each finished 0-2 with runners in scoring position against Gray, who tossed 90 pitches total and lowered his ERA to 3.35. With the right-hander out of the game, Los Angeles had another golden opportunity in the eighth.

St. Louis reliever JoJo Romero allowed a single to Mookie Betts to lead off the frame before Freeman ripped a double to center field that put runners on second and third with nobody out. Once again, the squad squandered a rally opportunity, as Phil Maton came in and struck out Hernadez and Muncy before inducing a groundout from Andy Pages to escape the jam.

After a solo homer from Willson Contreras in the bottom of the eighth made it 5-0, the Dodgers went down 1-2-3 in the ninth against Steven Matz to end the game. It was only the fourth time all year that Los Angeles had been shut out. 

Game two of the three-game set will take place on Saturday morning. Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-4, 2.39 ERA) will take the bump against St. Louis right-hander Erick Fedde (3-5, 3.82 ERA). 

First pitch is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. PT.