Cards find unlikely dynamic duo in Lynn, Pham

ST. LOUIS -- Lance Lynn came in to Sunday's game with no runs scored on the year, and Tommy Pham entered without a Major League RBI.

Together, the ninth and first hitters in the Cardinals' lineup changed those stats and spearheaded a 3-1 win over the Padres at Busch Stadium.

Lynn put together the first two-hit game of his career, twice setting the table for Pham to drive him in and ignite a struggling St. Louis offense. Lynn also pitched seven innings, giving up just three hits and earning his sixth win of the year.

Video: SD@STL: Lynn helps his cause with two hits, two runs

"That's hard to do," Pham said of Lynn's two-pronged attack. "He hit the ball hard twice, and when he got his first hit, I was like, 'Man I've got to get a hit now.' I didn't want that extra pressure on myself. He was fantastic."

Pham's third-inning home run and fifth-inning double both plated Lynn and accounted for all of the Cardinals' scoring. It was Pham's second day hitting leadoff for St. Louis after he joined the club from Triple-A on Friday. The 27-year-old scored twice on Saturday.

"He's sparking us, and that's what we were hoping for," manager Mike Matheny said.

Video: SD@STL: Lynn allows only one unearned run, fans eight

The other seven hitters in the St. Louis lineup posted just three hits, but a rookie and a free-swinging pitcher were all the team needed to hand San Diego starter Ian Kennedy his eighth loss.

"Take back the Pham at-bats and the two pitcher at-bats," Padres interim manager Pat Murphy said of Kennedy's outing. "Other than that, it was very, very good. Those four at-bats changed the game."