Ryu goes 7 strong to boost Dodgers

ST. LOUIS (AP) ― Ryu Hyun-jin has been pitching more like a savvy veteran than a rookie this season.

Ryu pitched seven stellar innings and got help from a three-run homer by A.J. Ellis as the red-hot Los Angeles Dodgers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 Thursday night.

The Dodgers have won 17 of their last 18 games on the road, with the only loss coming Tuesday to St. Louis in the second game of the four-game set. Los Angeles returns home for a six-game home stand against Tampa and the New York Mets.

Although he is in his first year with the Dodgers, Ryu pitched professionally in Korea for seven years before coming to Los Angeles, and it shows, according to Ellis.

“This guy knows how to pitch so well,’’ Ellis said. “He pitches to the scoreboard as well as anyone I’ve caught. He knew he had a great lineup across the way that we had to face, and from the get-go, he was really locked in.”

Ryu (11-3) allowed one unearned run on five hits while striking out seven and walking no one. He increased his winning percentage to .786, which is the highest winning percentage for a rookie in Dodgers’ history.

He shut down the Cardinals without his best fastball.

“Most of my pitches were on point today,’’ Ryu said through an interpreter. “The only concern I had was that my fastball, the velocity was not as high as I hoped it would be. Thanks to my other pitches, I was able to get out of the innings.”

Fellow Los Angeles rookie Yasiel Puig had three hits to raise his batting average to .377. Adrian Gonzalez drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Jerry Hairston had a pinch-hit RBI single.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly was thrilled to take three of four from the Cards.

“This is a good club over there,’’ Mattingly said. “Just like us, they feel like they got to win every day. We feel like we have to do the same. To get three out of four from them makes you feel good.’’

Los Angeles spoiled the first Major League start for St. Louis rookie Carlos Martinez (0-1), who was called up from Triple-A Memphis earlier in the day to make the start. Martinez lasted just 4 2-3 innings before leaving with cramps. He allowed all four runs on seven hits and three walks.

“I thought overall he did a pretty nice job,’’ said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny. “His stuff’s electric; there’s no question about that.”

Matt Holliday had two hits and scored the Cardinals’ only run. St. Louis fell four games back of Pittsburgh in the National League Central race.

Scherzer wins 17th game

CLEVELAND (AP) ― Detroit manager Jim Leyland doesn’t think the race in the American League Central is over.

After his team finished off a four-game sweep of Cleveland with Thursday’s 10-3 win ― the Tigers’ 12th straight victory ― Leyland would have a tough convincing anyone else of his case.

“I know better than that,” Leyland said when asked if the Tigers have taken control of the division. “I’m no fool. This is one of those series you can’t explain. Sometimes freaky things happen.”

Max Scherzer became baseball’s first 17-game winner and Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs as the AL Central leaders and opened a seven-game lead over the Indians. The series was billed as a battle between the division’s two top teams, but the Tigers made it clear they’re in charge.

“We came out here and played as good a four-game series that we played all year,” Scherzer said as the music blared loudly in Detroit’s clubhouse. “Everybody played their best. All the starters, all the hitters, the relievers. Everybody did their jobs.”

Indians manager Terry Francona understandably had a different point of view.

“Tonight was a tough night, and this was a terrible, a tough series,” he said. “It’s a hard way to play, but we’ll come back (Friday) and see if we can do better.”

Scherzer (17-1) allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings. He helped the Tigers beat Cleveland for the 12th time in their last 13 meetings.

The Tigers have won 12 in a row for the first time since Sept. 2-14, 2011.

NY Mets 2, Colorado 1

Pittsburgh 5, Miami 4

Philadelphia 12, Chicago Cubs 1

San Francisco 4, Milwaukee 1

Kansas City 5, Boston 1