Braves 1 - 4 Cardinals
Final
  for this game

Miller pitches Cardinals past Braves

May 18, 2014 - 12:29 AM St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Shelby Miller fired seven strong innings to guide the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-1 win against the Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium on Saturday.

Miller (6-2) extends his career-best winning streak to six games after allowing an unearned run on five hits with seven strikeouts. His overall record at home improved to 13-4.

Allen Craig, Yadier Molina and Peter Bourjos each recorded an RBI while Kolten Wong had two bunt hits and scored two runs for the Cardinals, who have won four straight.

"I think we're seeing aggressive play and that's something that we need to continue," said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny.

Trevor Rosenthal pitched a clean ninth inning to collect his 13th save of the season.

Aaron Harang (4-4) surrendered three runs -- two earned -- on six hits while striking out seven over six innings. He is 0-6 in his last eight appearances against St. Louis and 7-15 in his last 27 starts against them.

Andrelton Simmons was the only bright spot for Atlanta's offense, going 3- for-3 and scoring the lone run for the Braves, who have lost four of their last five.

The Cardinals took advantage of some poor decisions by Atlanta's defense to score their first two runs.

"The Cardinals are a team you have to show up and execute the small things, that's how they beat you," said Braves outfielder Jason Heyward.

Wong led off the fourth with a bunt single and advanced to third on a Matt Holliday single to center. Molina hit a shallow sac fly to right field to tie the game at 1-1. Second baseman Tyler Pastornicky, who was backpedalling into right field, called off incoming Heyward to make the catch, but his throw home wasn't in time.

Matt Carpenter was beamed to start the sixth and Wong beat out his second bunt single to put two on with no outs. With runners on the corners and one out, Wong stole second and catcher Evan Gattis' throw sailed into center field, allowing Carpenter to trot home and give St. Louis a 2-1 lead.

Craig drove in Wong from third with a blooper into left to pad the cushion.

Matt Adams scored on a squeeze bunt by Bourjos after a leadoff triple in the seventh to result in the final margin.

Atlanta's run came in the second when Simmons scored on second baseman Wong's throw to third, which was in the dirt and hopped past Carpenter at third following Harang's single. Simmons singled to left earlier in the frame.

Game Notes

Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez was ejected in the top of the fifth inning for arguing fair/foul on a Harang bunt ... Atlanta went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, while St. Louis was 2-for-5 ... The Braves are 14-3 when scoring the first run, dropping their last three ... The Braves have been held to two or fewer runs 19 times this season, including 11 of the last 18 games (since April 27) ... The Cards have won 12 of their last 16 at home against Atlanta ... B.J. Upton finished 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, his third 3- strikeout game in the past four.






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