Freddie Freeman and the Atlanta Braves hammered Jon Lester in his first start for the St. Louis Cardinals, scoring five runs in the first inning and cruising to a 6-1 victory Tuesday night.
The 37-year-old Lester (3-6), acquired from Washington last week, allowed the first seven hitters to reach and did not record an out until his 27th pitch. Lester allowed six runs on nine hits in five innings.
Jorge Soler, picked up from the Kansas City Royals for pitcher Kasey Kalich last week, hit a two-run homer to start the scoring. It was his first homer for the Braves and his 14th of the season.
Freeman and Austin Riley followed with singles before Dansby Swanson and Joc Pederson added run-scoring hits.
RHP Miles Mikolas allowed one run on four hits over 4 2/3 innings in a rehab start at Double-A Springfield on Tuesday. He was placed on the 60-day injured list with right forearm tightness on May 23 and could return sometime this month.
LHP J.A. Happ (5-6, 6.77 ERA) will face LHP Drew Smyly (7-3, 4.40) in the second game of the three-game set. Happ will be making his first start for St. Louis. He was acquired from Minnesota in exchange for RHP John Gant and LHP Evan Sisk at the trade deadline on Friday, 6:20 with the pregame and the first pitch at 7:15 on KIRX.
First place Milwaukee leads second place Cincinnati by 7 1/2, the third place Cardinals are 10 games out.