Effective Lynn saddled with loss after departing

ST. LOUIS -- When asked about his visible emotions upon being pulled from Sunday's 4-2 loss in Game 4 of the World Series after 5 2/3 innings, Cardinals starter Lance Lynn responded as if the answer was obvious.

"I'm not happy when I come out in a game ever," Lynn said. "That's just part of being a competitor. If you want out of the game, you shouldn't be out there ever. That's just my opinion."

But was he more upset than usual Sunday?

"It's the World Series," he said. "If you don't want to pitch in the World Series, then you can go right home."

The right-hander cruised through his first four innings, leaning on his fastball early and often. He retired 11 of his first 12 batters, allowing only a single to the hot-hitting David Ortiz, which was immediately erased by an double play.

Lynn first ran into trouble in the fifth, allowing a leadoff double to Ortiz, then walking back-to-back batters to load the bases. Ortiz scored on a sacrifice fly, but Lynn pitched out of the jam, retiring the next two to close the frame.

"I walked two guys there in the fifth that I would have liked to have back," Lynn said. "I thought I made some good pitches. They had a couple tough at-bats on me. That's just part of this time of year. But for the most part, I had a good feel. Fastball was good tonight, and I was making them try to hit."

Lynn put down the first two batters in the sixth before allowing a single to Dustin Pedroia. Manager Mike Matheny stuck with Lynn to face Ortiz for a third time, and Lynn pitched around Ortiz -- who is batting 8-for-11 in this Series -- issuing his third walk of the night.

"I'm not one to be dumb. I'm not going to let that guy beat me in that situation," Lynn said. "That's just the way it is. I'm not going to let him hit a two-run home run right there."

With two runners on, Matheny turned to his bullpen. Seth Maness relieved Lynn but surrendered a three-run homer to Jonny Gomes, breaking the 1-1 tie and giving the Red Sox a lead they would not relinquish while saddling Lynn with the loss. Lynn's final line was three earned runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

"[Lynn] worked hard there," Matheny said. "Got into another bind in the sixth inning, which is the spot we keep our eyes wide open, and [we] took a shot and it didn't work."

"It's just part of the game," Lynn said. "You go out there and you do everything you can as a starter and give it everything you have. That's a manager's call to go to the bullpen whenever he sees fit."

Despite taking the loss, Lynn was effective in his third start of this postseason. He and catcher Yadier Molina liked the life he had on his fastball in his pregame bullpen session, and ran with it.

"That's pretty much been my strategy all year when I've been successful," Lynn said. "Go right after hitters and make them beat me with my best pitch, and when I'm doing that, I'm usually pretty successful. That's who I am. I'm a fastball pitcher. I make you beat me with my best stuff."