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Molina, Giants use six-run frame to crush Cardinals

Apr 20, 2008 - 11:16 PM ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Jonathan Sanchez finally got some run support from the light-hitting San Francisco Giants.

Bengie Molina drove in three runs and rookie John Bowker added a two-run homer as the San Francisco Giants pounded the St. Louis Cardinals, 8-2, on Sunday.

Molina had three doubles and Aaron Rowand collected two RBI for the Giants, who pounded out 14 hits.

Sanchez (1-1) was the beneficiary of the Giants' surprising offensive effort. The lefthander allowed just two hits in five innings, with five strikeouts and four walks.

It was a nice change for Sanchez, who did not receive a single run of support in any of his first three starts.

"It was a good lead for me, it felt great," Sanchez said. "I was just trying to get to the fifth or sixth inning. It's important to get the win and I hope I get more of those. It's good to help the club."

Sanchez got a long rest in the third, as the light-hitting Giants broke open the game by sending nine batters to the plate in a six-run frame.

"It's (good) to come out and swing the bat well," Bowker said. "You know how the season goes. It has its ups and downs. It's good to get the series win."

The big inning was particularly stunning, considering the Giants entered Sunday with a major-league worst 53 runs.

In addition to that, San Francisco broke out against Braden Looper, who had won his first three starts of the season.

"Anytime you win against the Cardinals and that type of team, it's great," Molina said. "It's a big win for us. It gives us a lot of confidence going out to Arizona. We don't see that often when we have an eight-run lead in the ninth. I think this is the first time in a while."

Fred Lewis and Jose Castillo began the hit parade with singles, and Ray Durham and Molina each doubled to give the Giants a 3-0 lead. Rowand plated Molina for a four-run lead, and Bowker capped the outburst with a two-run homer to right field.

"We came out swinging," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We came in here playing a hot team, and they can put some runs on the board. But with Bengie's big hit, it seemed like it just got contagious. To go on the road and take the series here, yeah, it's great for the club especially after the last road trip."

Looper (3-1) left in the fourth after allowing seven runs and 10 hits in three-plus innings. Lewis chased Looper with a leadoff single and stole second. Two batters later Molina drove in Lewis and Castillo with a single to left, and Rowand followed with an RBI single to make it 8-0.

"I didn't even give the team a chance today and I'm not real happy about it, obviously," Looper said. "I made some mistakes over the middle, and they made me pay for it. I didn't get my job done today."

"It's tough to fall that far behind," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "He (Looper) had a tough day today, period. I'm not going to beat him up for it, he wasn't trying to do it."

Troy Glaus and Rico Washington had RBI doubles in the ninth inning for the Cardinals, who were nearly shut out for a second consecutive game.

"They have got a good staff," Glaus said. "They've got good stuff, and we weren't able to take advantage of some of the opportunities we had, bottom line."