PHILADELPHIA • Cardinals righthander Mike Leake, who had given up 13 runs over 17 innings in his last three starts, blanked the Philadelphia Phillies on seven singles over seven innings Sunday and his teammates responded with three home runs as he left with a 7-0 lead.
Leake walked only one and struck out eight before departing after the seventh, having passed the 100-pitch mark. He stranded four runners in the first two innings when he gave up four singles and a walk.
He also pitched out of a first-and-third spot in the sixth when the second of two hits he allowed in the inning, Ryan Howard’s single, glanced off Leake’s glove and then hit second-base umpire Bill Welke in the left knee.