ST. LOUIS — The Dodgers don't seem to notice they're missing two of their best hitters.
Hanley Ramirez and Matt Kemp are out because of injuries, but the rest of the team, led by the pitching staff, just keeps finding ways to win.
The first-place Dodgers are 17-3 since the All-Star break after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-1, on Thursday night.
This time it was the Dodgers' battery that propelled them, with starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu having a stellar outing and catcher A.J. Ellis hitting a three-run home run to break a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning.
With the victory, their 34th in 42 games, the Dodgers took three of the four games at Busch Stadium and finished with a 7-1 record for the trip after sweeping the Chicago Cubs.