Jon Lester went seven and a third innings and gave up three earned runs, but it wasn't enough as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs by a score of 4-0 on Friday night. 

The Cubs were retired in order to start the game out, but the Cardinals came out firing and grabbed an early lead in the game. Stephen Piscotty looped a ball down the right field line that landed just in front of Kyle Schwarber and bounced into the stands for a ground rule double, and he was driven in by a single up the middle by Matt Holliday to give St. Louis a 1-0 lead.

John Lackey sent down the Cubs in order to start the second inning, but Jon Lester settled down in a big way in the bottom of the inning and kept the deficit at one. He struck out the first two batters he faced, and even though Kolten Wong wedged a double over Kris Bryant at third base, Lester got out of the inning as he forced a groundout by Lackey to end the frame.

The Cubs got a sharp line drive out of Addison Russell in the top of the third inning, but it was snagged by Jason Heyward on a diving catch to keep Chicago from getting a baserunner. In the bottom of the third, Lester allowed a long fly ball to Matt Carpenter, but Schwarber hauled it in and helped keep the Cubs within striking distance.

Schwarber became the first Cubs batter to reach base in the game as he coaxed a one-out walk in the top of the fourth, but he was quickly erased as Kris Bryant grounded into a double play. The Cardinals also threatened in the inning as Jason Heyward singled and then reached second base on a wild pitch. Lester got out of the jam by striking out Randal Grichuk and induced a fly-out from Yadier Molina to keep the game at a 1-0 score.

In the top of the sixth inning, Russell finally got the Cubs’ first hit of the game, and he advanced to second base on a wild pitch. After he got to third on a ground out by Lester, he was stranded as Dexter Fowler hammered a fly ball to the warning track in right, but it was caught to keep the Cardinals up by a run.

The Cubs got a baserunner to start out the seventh inning as Schwarber picked up a bunt single, but that was all they could manage. Bryant struck out on a full count pitch for the first out, and even though Anthony Rizzo hammered a shot at first base, it was gloved and the Cardinals turned a double play to retain their lead.

Lester racked up a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh, but the Cubs couldn’t give him any support as they were retired in order in the top of the eighth. Castro grounded out to shortstop to continue his quiet night at the plate, and Chris Coghlan struck out looking for the second out. Russell struck out swinging to end the frame, leaving the Cubs down by a run with three outs to go.

The Cardinals made the Cubs pay for their lack of offense in the bottom of the frame as they extended their lead. On a 3-1 pitch from Lester, pinch-hitter Tommy Pham blasted a home run into the left field bleachers to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.

After Lester was lifted following a walk to Carpenter, Piscotty made the Cubs pay again. This time it was Pedro Strop giving up the long-ball, as Piscotty launched a shot over the left field fence to make it a 4-0 game.

The Cubs threatened in the top of the ninth inning as Jorge Soler walked and Schwarber rapped a single to left field, but it wasn't enough as Kris Bryant struck out to end the game and give the Cardinals a 1-0 series lead. 

The two teams will battle again on Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium, with Kyle Hendricks taking the hill for the Cubs as they look to even the series.