Lance Lynn is enjoying his reunion with the St. Louis Cardinals, having recorded his 2,000th strikeout and pitching in his 2,000th career inning this season. "When you're old and you play long enough, you get the luxury of having fun milestones like that," said Lynn, who previously was with the Cardinals from 2011-17.
"I've had a few this year. Obviously, it's been great to be able to do it in St. Louis, where it all started.
That was one of the reasons why it was enticing to come back to hit those milestones here." Lynn will add to his statistical pile when he starts Tuesday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates in the second game of a four-game series. The Cardinals won the opener 4-0 on Monday.
In his first start since July 30, Lynn (6-4, 3.96 ERA) held the Cincinnati Reds to one run on five hits in five innings on Wednesday after recovering from a right knee injury. "I love watching him pitch," manager Oliver Marmol said.
"Fiery dude. Yells at everything. The way he goes about it ignites a little fire in everybody.
" Lynn struck out seven Cincinnati batters and walked one in a game the Cardinals eventually won 2-1. The 37-year-old veteran is 0-0 with a 2.89 ERA in two starts against the Pirates this season.
He is 7-9 with a 5.13 ERA in 26 career outings against Pittsburgh, including 24 starts. Bailey Falter (8-7, 4.
20 ERA) will start for the Pirates. He is coming off one of his best outings of the season, when he blanked the Miami Marlins for 7 1/3 innings on two hits on.