Blue Jays fall to Cardinals for 1st loss of season

Jack Flaherty survived a career-high seven walks and a hit batter in throwing five no-hit innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals scored three unearned runs in the third on their way to a 4-1 victory over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday for their first win this season.

"Seven walks is not pitching," Flaherty said. "That's not something that's going to work over the long run. I was able to get away with it today."

Bothered by shoulder issues that sidelined him most of last season, Flaherty (1-0) had only one clean inning but it was his final one. Facing the Blue Jays for the first time in his career, he fanned four and benefited from a second-inning double play started by third baseman Nolan Arenado on George Springer.

On a windy 46-degree day, Flaherty threw 49 of 95 pitches for strikes.

"I'm actually proud of him," Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. "I think we took a big step in the right direction today as far as keeping his cool and figuring out how to make an adjustment rather than allowing it to snowball. That game could have got real ugly in a heartbeat and he didn't allow it to." Toronto had three hits after getting 16 singles among an opening day, club record 19 hits on Thursday.

"It's weird like you're sitting around waiting, sitting around waiting and you kind of need someone to get the hit," Toronto manager John Schneider said. "We just didn't get it today. But I thought the approach was good."

A two-out throwing error by third baseman Matt Chapman led to the three unearned Cardinals runs in the third. Paul Goldschmidt, who is 6 for 9 against Kevin Gausman (0-1), gave the Cardinals runners at first and third on a bloop single with two outs. Then, Chapman bobbled Arenado's grounder and threw wide of