Giants 3 - 4 Cardinals
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Carpenter tries to get into the win column vs. Giants

May 31, 2011 - 3:06 PM

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(Sports Network) - Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Those sentiments fit well with how unsuccessful St. Louis Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter has pitched this season. Carpenter hopes to halt a personal three- start losing streak when he takes the mound tonight in the second contest of a four-game series versus the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium.

Carpenter's three-game losing streak has dropped him to 1-5 in 11 starts to go along with a 4.58 earned run average. He pitched well enough for the win in last Wednesday's 3-1 setback at San Diego, but the right-hander allowed three runs -- two earned -- and eight hits in a season-high eight innings. He also tied a season high with six strikeouts. Carpenter, the 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner, is 0-1 in four Busch Stadium starts in 2011, but is 4-1 with a 3.56 ERA in seven career starts against San Francisco.

He defeated the Giants in the previous meeting on Aug. 21 of last season in 5-1 victory at St. Louis, as Carpenter allowed only one run over 7 1/3 innings of work.

NL Central-leading St. Louis is looking for another type of performance like that one from Carpenter after youngster Kyle McClellan failed to keep the defending champions off the scoreboard in Monday's 7-3 loss in the series opener. McClellan was aiming for his seventh win of the season, but allowed all seven runs and seven hits in four innings.

"It was a tough game," said McClellan. "[I] had the ball up and obviously the result is the home runs and not as many ground balls as usual. It was just a tough game from the get go."

Albert Pujols entered Monday's game 4-for-24 at the plate and belted his ninth home run of the season for the Cardinals, who have alternated wins and losses over their last six games and kicked off a seven-game homestand on a sour note. Allen Craig had two hits and an RBI and Matt Holliday returned to his usual cleanup spot, finishing 1-for-4. Holliday had been bothered by a quadriceps strain.

"It's nice to be able to get back out there," Holliday said on St. Louis' website. "I'm here to play. I'm not here to sit."

The Cardinals will also host the Chicago Cubs for three games on the residency and fell to 14-10 in the Gateway City.

San Francisco improved to 2-2 on a seven-game road trip with its series- opening victory over the Cardinals thanks to seven strong innings from Madison Bumgarner, who allowed two runs and six hits with five strikeouts. Ramon Ramirez allowed a run in the eighth before Sergio Romo closed the door in the ninth inning.

Andres Torres led the offense with a grand slam during a five-run fourth inning, while Cody Ross added a solo shot for the Giants, who won for the second time in seven tries. Miguel Tejada had two hits and an RBI in a winning effort.

"It feels good, you know," Torres said of his first grand slam. "We're trying to get our offense going, be patient and get a good pitch and you know, I was trying to stay back, and it feels really good."

The Giants could be without center fielder Aaron Rowand Tuesday after he left yesterday's game with a bruised right hip.

Ryan Vogelsong got his first taste of defeat the last time out and looks to get back in the win column tonight for the Giants. Vogelsong got the shaft in Thursday's 1-0 loss to Florida, as he delivered eight innings of one-run ball with three strikeouts and one walk.

Vogelsong fell to 3-1 in eight games, six of which have been starts, to go along with a 1.77 earned run average. A product of Kutztown University, Vogelsong is 2-0 in four road games (3 starts) this season, but hasn't enjoyed much success against St. Louis as evidenced by his 1-4 mark and 8.49 ERA over 14 appearances (4 starts).

San Francisco won two of three contests versus St. Louis by the Bay from April 8-10 this season.






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