ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andre Pallante pitched seven shutout innings and rookie catcher Yohel Pozo came off the bench to drive in a run, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.
Pallante (2-0) gave up just two singles, struck out four and walked two.
Phil Maton retired the side in the eighth and Ryan Helsey got three outs after giving up a leadoff single in the ninth for his second save of the season, preserving St. Louis’ first shutout.
Aaron Nola (0-3) allowed two runs and seven hits in five innings and struck out seven. Nola had been 4-0 in five previous starts against St. Louis since Game 2 of the NL wild-card playoffs in 2022.
Pozo, who made his Cardinals debut Monday night in Pittsburgh, entered the game to catch in the second inning after shortstop Masyn Winn left with lower back spasms. Pedro Pagés moved from catcher to second base and second baseman Thomas Saggese, who had two hits, went to shortstop.
Pozo finished 3 for 4 with a run scored, matching his career high for hits previously done with Texas in 2021.
St. Louis scored its only runs in the fifth inning. Pozo doubled into the corner in left field to score Saggese from first base. After Lars Nootbaar singled, Nola struck out the next two but then walked Nolan Arenado and Alec Burleson to force in Pozo and make it 2-0.
Key moment
With two outs and a runner on third that Pallante helped put there with a walk and an errant pickoff throw in the fifth inning, he struck out Bryson Stott to keep the Phillies scoreless.
Key stat
Nola had only walked one batter in his first two starts this season. In five innings Friday, he walked four.
Up next
LHP Cristopher Sánchez (0-0, 4.09) faces RHP Miles Mikolas (0-1, 11.25) in the second game of the series Saturday.