By Joe Strauss, St. Louis Post-Dispatch – 
ST. LOUIS — They failed to gain ground within the division, but they managed to adjust the landscape.
Sunday afternoon at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals completed a three-day journey from a shell-shocked, six-game trip to their most dominant three-tilt performance this season. A 7-0 beating of the Chicago Cubs reminded both sides of the proper order within the National League Central.
(PHOTO: St. Louis Cardinals’ Jon Jay drives in Allen Craig from third base with a two-run double in first-inning action against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, July 22, 2012, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri.)
A combination five-hitter begun by Lance Lynn (12-4) accompanied a four-run first inning, home runs on consecutive fifth-inning pitches and a four-hit breakout from their previously struggling center fielder.
The whitewash ended a three-game sweep of the North Siders by a combined 23-1 margin — the most lopsided differential the Cardinals have mustered in three consecutive games this season. The Cardinals never trailed while again showing their dominant side.
Lynn, Fernando Salas and Marc Rzepczynski conspired for the Cardinals’ fifth shutout win. At less than his best, Lynn still made a strong six-inning stand. On a day when several starters received down time, the Cardinals finalized their second series sweep at home.
“It was good series. The guys played well today. It was a nice way to end it,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.
Following Saturday night’s 12-0 win, the Cardinals completed their first back-to-back shutouts of the Cubs since June 9-10, 1989. They never trailed in the series and held the Cubs, who had won 14 of their last 19 before Friday, scoreless for the final 25 innings.
The Cardinals had managed only eight hits with runners in scoring position during their 1-5 trip to Cincinnati and Milwaukee. They equaled the number in Saturday’s 12-run seventh.
“We talked about us missing that ability,” Matheny said. “We had different characters step into the spot and do it. To me, it’s something that we were due for. We’re capable of doing that. It’s not like we were asking them to do something beyond what they can do. They’ve been clutch performers before, and I thought it was only going to be a matter of time.”
It became the Cubs’ turn to flail this weekend. Their 0-for-7 performance with runners in scoring position Sunday left them 0 for 13 in such situations for the series. After reaching St. Louis with 14 wins in their previous 19 games, the Cubs capped their weekend by dressing out as superheroes. The visitors’ clubhouse produced Captain America, Batman, Wolverine and Zorro, among others. Unfortunately for the visitors, a pitcher capable of constructing a quality start couldn’t be found. Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza and Sunday starter Travis Wood (4-5) allowed 10 earned runs in 15 innings total. Dempster had his club- record 33-inning scoreless streak incinerated before he could get Friday’s second out. Cramps chased Garza after three scoreless frames Saturday.
The Cardinals had no such problems.
Lynn’s outing marked the team’s 17th straight start of at least six innings and allowed the staff to improve upon its league-best 2.23 ERA for the month.
“I think this is more who we were in April,” pitcher Kyle Lohse said. “Then we got away from that and it put more stress on our bullpen. We were all going five (innings). I think that month may have served a purpose because it reminded us of what we needed to do. We had gotten away from it.”
The rotation’s run of consistency is the team’s longest since it constructed 21 consecutive starts of at least six innings from Aug. 16-Sept. 4, 2004.
“I’d say it’s what they’re capable of,” pitching coach Derek Lilliquist said. “I don’t know how you would define ‘fluke.’ I think that’s who they are. It’s almost three times around” the rotation.
The Cardinals got to Wood for four first-inning runs thanks to consecutive two-out doubles by Jon Jay and Tony Cruz. Jay flared his hit onto the left-field line before Cruz followed with another opposite-field ball.
Jay finished with a career-most four hits, lifting his average from .289 to .304. It was his second multi-hit game since June 26.
A fourth-inning passed ball contributed to an unearned fifth-inning run that scored on second baseman Tyler Greene’s sacrifice fly ball.
The Cardinals put the game out of reach when left fielder Matt Holliday and right fielder Carlos Beltran opened the fifth inning by ripping consecutive pitches for home runs. Holliday’s shot was his second launch of the series: his two home runs totaled 901 feet. Beltran, who once led the league in home runs, ripped his first since June 24.
Most significantly, the Cardinals rediscovered how to construct big innings, a quality that eluded them as they scored only 12 runs in six games after the All-Star break and more than five runs in only two of the month’s first 15 games.
“You just keep going day to day,” Holliday said.
The weekend’s only negative was out of the Cardinals’ control. The Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates also completed sweeps to retain their hold on first and second place.
“I’m not worried about that,” Matheny said. “I’m worried about us.”
