Flaherty masterful again as Cards blank Royals

The Cardinals' Jack Flaherty pitches in the first inning of a game against the Royals on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019, in Kansas City (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)The outing marked the third time in succession Flaherty had pitched seven innings. It marked the third time in succession that he hadn’t allowed a run, extending his string of scoreless innings to 23.

Flaherty retired 13 men in a row after he allowed a two-out double to Hunter Dozier and an intentional walk to Jorge Soler in the first inning. That streak ended in the sixth, when Nicky Lopez and Whit Merrifield singled. But Flaherty took matters into his own hands by fielding Alex Gordon’s comebacker and starting a double play via shortstop…