Cardinals 6 - 3 Giants
Final
  for this game

Kozma, Beltran lead Cardinals over Giants

Apr 7, 2013 - 1:53 AM

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San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Pete Kozma went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Carlos Beltran had two hits and three RBI, as the St. Louis Cardinals downed the San Francisco Giants, 6-3, on Saturday at AT&T Park.

Matt Carpenter had two hits, plated one run and scored two runs and Matt Holliday had one hit and RBI for St. Louis, which evened the best of three series.

"It's a good team. We have a good lineup," Beltran said. "We have guys from top to bottom that can do the job."

Shelby Miller (1-0), who made just his second career start, tossed 5 1/3 solid innings, giving up two runs and four walks on four hits while striking out four in the victory.

Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval each hit solo home runs for the Giants, who saw starter Ryan Vogelsong (0-1) allow five runs on nine hits and strike out six over 5 1/3 innings.

San Francisco's first four starters of the season had combined to give up just two unearned runs and 12 hits over 26 innings, but Vogelsong broke the earned run streak in the first inning alone.

The Giants took the first game of the series on Friday, 1-0.

With two outs in the fifth and St. Louis trailing 2-1, Holliday singled to left scoring Kozma. Allen Craig then reached on an infield single which moved runners to second and third.

Beltran then capped the three-run inning when he hit a line drive through the hole to right field, plating both runners for a 4-2 advantage.

Daniel Descalso helped add to the lead by opening up the sixth with a single and a stolen base. Kozma followed with a single to left which scored Descalso and made it 5-2.

Sandoval led off the eighth with a solo shot to dead center off of Edward Mujica.

Carpenter plated Shane Robinson in the bottom of the frame to provide some insurance before St. Louis reliever Mitchell Boggs secured the win in the ninth with his first save of the season.

"We're not quite clicking offensively, but we stayed in the game and had a good couple chances there," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "You always go with the history and track record of these guys. They're getting into the flow of things."

Beltran singled to right field in the first scoring Carpenter to make it 1-0 in the first. Pence added his solo blast to center in the second to put the Giants on the board. Sandoval made it 2-1 in the third with a single up the middle scoring Angel Pagan.

Game Notes

The 1976 Milwaukee Brewers were the last MLB team with a longer earned run streak. That team saw its starters go 31 2/3 innings before giving up an earned score ... Vogelsong was 14-9 with a 3.37 ERA last season ... San Francisco catcher Buster Posey was honored prior to the game for his 2012 NL MVP award.






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