Shota Imanaga came off the injured list and allowed just one hit in five innings as the visiting Chicago Cubs blanked the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 Thursday afternoon.

The Cubs pitched their second straight shutout to earn a 2-2 split in the four-game series.

Imanaga (4-2) walked one and struck out three during his first start since recovering from a hamstring muscle strain suffered on May 4.

Reliever Caleb Thielbar retired the four batters he faced, then Brad Keller pitched two-thirds of an inning, Drew Pomeranz worked the eighth inning, and Daniel Palencia closed out the ninth for his eighth save.

Michael Busch went 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs to provide all the offense the Chicago pitchers needed.

Cardinals starter Andre Pallante (5-4) allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out two.

Busch’s homer put the Cubs up 1-0 in the second inning.

Matt Shaw led off the third inning with a single, then he took second on a hit-and-run groundout and advanced to third on another groundout. After Seiya Suzuki walked, Pallante retired Pete Crow-Armstrong on an inning-ending liner to center field.

With one out in the fourth inning, singles by Busch, Carson Kelly and Nico Hoerner loaded the bases. Ian Happ drew a two-out walk to increase Chicago’s lead to 2-0, but Kyle Tucker grounded out to strand three runners.

After allowing Masyn Winn’s one-out single in the first inning, Imanaga retired 14 of next 15 hitters while cruising through the fifth inning.

Willson Contreras drew a one-out walk off Keller in the seventh inning and moved up on a wild pitch. After Nolan Arenado walked, Thomas Saggese grounded into a forceout and Nolan Gorman flied out to strand the runners.

The Cubs played small ball to make it 3-0 in the eighth inning. Crow-Armstrong led off with an infield single and raced to third on Dansby Swanson’s single.

With one out, Crow-Armstrong scored while Swanson got caught in a rundown between first and second base.

–Field Level Media