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No rally for Giants; Cardinals avoid sweep

Apr 11, 2011 - 3:41 AM San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - David Freese had three hits, including a solo home run, and knocked in three, as the St. Louis Cardinals topped the Giants, 6-1, to avoid the three-game series sweep.

Skip Schumaker had two hits and two RBI for St. Louis, which snapped a three- game losing streak.

"I think it shows that we're right around the corner from being a pretty good ball club," Freese said.

Kyle Lohse (1-1) was stunning in his second start of the season, going eight innings while allowing one run on five hits. He lost his first outing in a 4-3 decision against Pittsburgh on Monday.

"He was on top of his game, threw a lot of strikes, quality strikes," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Lohse. "That's kind of where it started. We had some guys we needed to give a day off, and it's good to give some guys some at-bats, but we saw a well pitched game against us today."

Freddy Sanchez had two hits while Pablo Sandoval brought in the lone run for the Giants, who won the first two games in dramatic fashion, taking the victories in their last at-bat.

Barry Zito (0-1) got the loss after allowing four runs on six hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings.

After the clubs traded runs in the bottom of the first and the top of the second, St. Louis scored in the sixth, seventh and the eighth innings to grab a comfortable lead.

During the sixth, Matt Holliday and Allen Craig walked before Freese and Schumaker belted consecutive doubles. Holliday scored on Freese's, while Schumaker's brought in Craig and Freese.

After Colby Rasmus singled in the seventh, he stole second, moved to third on Albert Pujols' fly out and crossed home on Holliday's single that found the gap between first and second.

Freese then launched a leadoff homer in the eighth to account for the final score.

Game Notes

These teams split six 2010 meetings, with the Giants winning two of the three at AT&T Park. St. Louis had lost seven of its last nine games in San Francisco...The series concluded a celebratory weekend for the Giants, who raised their World Series banner and received their championship rings...Ryan Theriot had two hits in the win.