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Howard, Phils down Cards

Jun 20, 2014 - 5:17 AM St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - David Buchanan pitched into the eighth inning and Ryan Howard drove in three runs as the Philadelphia Phillies opened a four-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals with a 4-1 win.

Buchanan (3-3) allowed one run on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings, while Howard hit a two-run home run and added an RBI single for the Phillies, who have won a season-high four straight games.

"He rose to the occassion and I think he has that kind of makeup and that kind of character," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said of Buchanan.

Chase Utley was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored for Philadelphia, which has been victorious in its first four games of a seven-game road trip, and has won eight of 10, overall.

Matt Carpenter drove in a run while Shelby Miller (7-6) was touched for all four runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings for the Cardinals, who have lost their past two games.

"I felt good but at the same time I didn't make the best pitches at some points. I left the ball over the middle at times," Miller said.

St. Louis had men on the corners in the second with one out, but Jhonny Peralta struck out and Kolten Wong lined out to end the frame.

The Phillies went on top in the fourth inning as Carlos Ruiz doubled to lead off and Utley followed with a single to put runners on the corners for Howard, who singled to right to bring home Ruiz. Domonic Brown later flied out to right, scoring Utley for a 2-0 lead.

Philadelphia added to its advantage in the sixth, as Utley singled with one out and Howard followed with a shot just over the wall in left for his 14th home run and a 4-0 lead.

Miller doubled to start the sixth, but Buchanan set down the next three batters to keep St. Louis off the board.

The Cardinals finally got through in the eighth, as Peralta walked to lead off the inning and later moved to second on a Mark Ellis groundout. Carpenter then punched a single to right to make it a 4-1 game.

Jake Diekman took the hill and got Jon Jay to fly out and end the inning.

Jonathan Papelbon set the Cardinals down in order in the ninth for his 17th save of the season.

Game Notes

Philadelphia third baseman Reid Brignac left the game after injuring his ankle on a groundout in the fifth inning ... The Cardinals won five of the seven games against the Phillies last season ... Philly last won four straight on the road from Aug. 18-Sept. 1, 2012.