Final
Piscotty scores go-ahead run, Cardinals beat Giants 2-1
Aug 18, 2015 - 6:29 AM ST. LOUIS (AP) This time, the San Francisco Giants saw the real Michael Wacha.The St. Louis Cardinals right-hander insisted last year's NL championship series failure was absolutely not on his mind preparing to face the Giants for the first time this season.
''I mean, everyone seems to make it out like I was going out for vengeance or something, like I was after these guys since Day 1,'' Wacha said after working seven dominant innings in the Cardinals' 2-1 victory on Monday night.
''Everyone tries to amp it up and make a story out of it, but I was just trying to approach it just like another game.''
Rookie Stephen Piscotty tripled and scored the go-ahead run on Mark Reynolds' groundout in the eighth.
The run came a little too late for Wacha, who allowed one run on six hits with six strikeouts but missed a chance to become the majors' first 15-game winner. The right-hander surrendered an NL championship series-ending homer to Travis Ishikawa last fall in his lone appearance of the postseason.
''That's something he's not going to forget,'' manager Mike Matheny said. ''I think it's served him well.''
Yadier Molina hit his third homer off Chris Heston leading off the fourth for St. Louis. The Giants tied it on Brandon Crawford's two-out RBI triple in the sixth.
The Cardinals have won nine of 12, ended the Giants' four-game winning streak, and lead Pittsburgh by six games in the NL Central. They're tops in the majors in overall record (76-42) and home record (45-18).
''It feels good to contribute,'' Piscotty said. ''It's just so much fun.''
Kevin Siegrist (4-0) worked a perfect eighth against the top of the Giants order and Trevor Rosenthal earned his 37th save in 39 chances when pinch-hitter Buster Posey flied out to the wall in center.
''I knew I hit it good, but I knew it was also a little high,'' Posey said.
Piscotty tripled off Hunter Strickland (2-2) with one out in the eighth and Brandon Moss was intentionally walked. On the deciding play, Crawford fielded Reynolds' grounder and ran to second for a forceout after struggling to get a firm grip and then spun and threw wide to first, missing a chance at a double play.
''It was a ball that wasn't hit hard enough or soft enough that I could come home, so we wanted to turn it right there - and since I was close enough to the bag, to take it myself,'' Crawford said.
Rosenthal tied Pittsburgh's Mark Melancon for the National League lead. Piscotty is 6 for 10 in the last three games, scoring five runs.
Heston is 0-3 in four outings this month, failing to last five innings in three of them. He was undone by five walks in 4 2-3 innings and has walked 16 in 26 2-3 his last five outings.
''I think finding the strike zone is kind of an issue right now,'' Heston said.
After surrendering Molina's homer, Heston walked the bases full later in the fourth before striking out Kolten Wong to end the threat.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Giants: RHP Tim Lincecum (hips) is scheduled to face hitters in a simulated game later this week.
Cardinals: Jason Heyward made his first start of the year in CF, but was taken out after two innings due to left hamstring tightness. Matheny said Heyward was undergoing tests after being unable to get the hamstring loose.
''We made the proactive move of just getting him out,'' Matheny said. ''We're not going to go any further.''
Matt Adams (quad) leaves for Florida later this week to begin baseball activity and could begin a rehab assignment soon after that.
UP NEXT
Ryan Vogelsong (8-8, 4.15) will start after the Giants decided not to activate Mike Leake, who had been scheduled to come off the 15-day disabled list after recovering from a hamstring injury. The Cardinals' Lance Lynn (9-7, 2.95) is coming off the shortest outing of his career, lasting just two-thirds of an inning and surrendering seven runs - three earned - in a loss to Pittsburgh.
- #1 Cards Fan Yet another Cardinals win late in the ball game. Probably should've scored 3+ more runs in the 4th though. It's never good leaving the bases loaded. Great game!
Giants 1, Cardinals 2 FinalAug 18 2:56 PM - SAN FRANCISCO: 1
ST. LOUIS: 2
Final
Aug 17 10:50 PM - Reynolds grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop B.Crawford unassisted, Piscotty scored, Reynolds to first, Moss out.
Giants 1, Cardinals 2 Bot 8, 2 OutsAug 17 10:40 PM - Mark Reynolds reaches on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Brandon Moss out at second. Stephen Piscotty scores.
Giants 1, Cardinals 2 Bot 8, 1 OutAug 17 10:38 PM - Sharon Giants, Tonight I am rooting for you in fact all 3 of your games vs St Louis I am because they are in front of Pittsburgh . Next week I will be rooring for the Pirates to beat you . We caN GAIN A FULL GAME IF WE PULL OUT THIS WIN
Giants 1, Cardinals 1 Bot 7, 1 OutAug 17 10:18 PM - Brandon Crawford doubles to deep center field. Matt Duffy scores.
Giants 1, Cardinals 1 Top 6, 2 OutsAug 17 9:55 PM - Gregor Blanco pops out to shallow center field to Jhonny Peralta.
Aug 17 8:11 PM - SAN FRANCISCO: 0
ST. LOUIS: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Aug 17 8:10 PM
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