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Cardinals batter Dodgers to win series

Jul 26, 2012 - 11:10 PM St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Quiet through the first three innings, the Cardinal bats awoke and smacked a season-high 18 hits.

David Freese tallied three hits, two RBI and a pair of runs scored, while Matt Holliday added two hits, including a solo homer, to go with two runs scored as the St. Louis Cardinals downed the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-4, in the finale of a four-game set.

Freese, who left the contest in the sixth due to cramping in his right calf, is 16-for-28 during his nine-game hitting streak.

Matt Carpenter registered three hits and an RBI, Tony Cruz recorded two hits and a pair of RBI and Allen Craig had two hits, two runs scored and an RBI for St. Louis, which took the last three games of the set and went 6-1 on its homestand.

"We're getting timely hits," Freese said. "You get timely hits and you add pitching and defense, that's a recipe for success."

Jake Westbrook (9-8) surrendered four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits and a walk in seven innings.

Mitchell Boggs fanned two in a scoreless eighth and Jason Motte struck out the side in the ninth to notch his 22nd save of the year.

Chris Capuano (10-6) allowed a season-high six runs on 11 hits and a walk for the Dodgers, who dropped the last three on the heels of a five-game winning streak.

"He was pretty good the first three (innings)," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of Capuano's outing. "They're the world champions over there and have a pretty good-hitting ball club."

Matt Kemp, who went 1-for-4, finished the set 2-for-16, while the newly acquired Hanley Ramirez had a hit and run scored.

After the Dodgers pushed across four in the top of the fifth to take a 4-2 lead, the Cards surged ahead following a four-run home half.

Daniel Descalso recorded a one-out single and, after Holliday walked, four consecutive base hits accounted for the four runs. Craig's hit to left brought home Descalso and Freese's single to right-center plated Holliday and Craig. Following Carpenter's base hit, which chased Capuano from the game in favor of Javy Guerra, Cruz's single to right scored Freese, giving the Cardinals a 6-4 edge.

Holliday cracked a solo shot onto the grassy knole in center in the sixth to increase the margin to 7-4.

Earlier, RBI singles by Carpenter and Cruz gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in the fourth.

Aided by five straight singles -- on six pitches -- to begin the inning, the Dodgers took the lead. After Andre Ethier and Ramirez reached, Juan Rivera and Luis Cruz brought them home when they both snuck singles through the hole on the left side. Matt Treanor's base hit, coupled with Freese's throwing error, allowed Rivera to cross the plate and Capuano's sacrifice fly to center plated Cruz to make it 4-2.

Game Notes

Prior to the contest, the Dodgers placed infielder Adam Kennedy on the 15-day disabled list with a right groin strain...Ethier had an error, his first in 279 games...The Cardinals went 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position, while the Dodgers finished 3-for-8.