Cardinals 1, Dodgers 0: Michael Wacha outdueled Clayton Kershaw as host St. Louis grabbed a 2-0 lead over Los Angeles in the National League Championship Series.

Wacha (1-0) scattered five hits while striking out eight in 6 2/3 innings and Jon Jay pushed across the lone run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth for the Cardinals, who took the first game 3-2 in 13 innings Friday. The series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Monday.

Kershaw (0-1) struck out five and walked one but was charged with an unearned run on two hits in six innings. Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig and Juan Uribe combined to go 0-for-11 with nine strikeouts through the middle of the order.

St. Louis squandered a chance to score after Matt Carpenter’s leadoff triple in the first but had better luck in the fifth, when David Freese led off with a ground-rule double to left. Freese moved up on a passed ball and scored easily on Jay’s fly to left.

The Dodgers came right back in the sixth and loaded the bases, but Wacha struck out Puig and Uribe to snuff out the threat. Three relievers bridged the gap to Trevor Rosenthal, who struck out the side for his first save of the series.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez (bruised ribs) was replaced in the starting lineup by Nick Punto while Skip Schumaker got the nod over CF Andre Either (ankle). … Cardinals 1B Allen Craig (left foot), who has yet to play in the postseason, could join the roster and serve as DH if St. Louis advances to the World Series. … Los Angeles will turn to LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu in Game 3 while the Cardinals will counter with RHP Adam Wainwright.