LOS ANGELES • Cardinals starter Mike Leake, an ascendant sinkerballer on a run like he’s never had in his career, cannot pinpoint the exact type of pitch, movement of the pitch, or even location of the pitch that brought about his breakout.
Hitters can empathize.
They’re having a hard time finding it, too.
With a new mix of pitches and better command of where to put them, Leake reclaimed the National League ERA lead and threw the Cardinals to a 6-1 victory Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. The righthander threw his ninth quality start in nine tries this season for the longest streak of his career, and one night after losing the ERA lead to lefty Clayton Kershaw, Leake seized it back, at 1.