Giants 3 - 4 Cardinals
Final
  for this game

Cards edge Giants

Jun 1, 2011 - 4:24 AM

Video

St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Skip Schumaker legged out an infield single, allowing the go-ahead run to score in a three-run eighth frame, as St. Louis downed San Francisco, 4-3, in the second of four games at Busch Stadium.

Javier Lopez (2-1) gave up the winning run on two hits to take the loss, blowing five solid frames from Ryan Vogelsong, who gave up just one run on six hits. Cody Ross and Brandon Crawford each finished 2-for-4 for the Giants, who have lost three of four.

"We had some opportunities to add on, and we didn't do it. Then, they were hitting it were we couldn't catch it there in the eighth inning," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy.

Ryan Franklin (1-3) struck out the side in the eighth to claim the win, while Fernando Salas pitched around a two-out double to claim his 10th save. John Jay was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, while Albert Pujols celebrated his second start this season at third base with a 2-for-3 night that included a run scored and an RBI. The Cardinals have won two of three overall.

It all fell apart for the Giants in the eighth, as their bullpen couldn't cash in on Vogelsong's strong start. Jay pulled a double down the right-field line then Pujols ripped a run-scoring two-bagger to left. Lopez replaced Sergio Romo on the mound, but the Cardinals still tied the game one out later on Allen Craig's run-scoring double that found empty grass in right-center field. After a groundout, the Giants decided to intentionally walk Yadier Molina to face Schumaker.

Bad decision.

He pulled a low-and-in pitch into the right-field hole that was corralled by Freddy Sanchez, but his throw didn't beat the fleet-footed Schumaker, allowing the go-ahead run to score.

"It was a good win. Their bullpen is very good," said Schumaker.

San Francisco got the tying run into scoring position on Nate Schierholtz's two-out double, but Salas struck out Emmanuel Burriss to end the game.

The Giants manufactured a run in the second off Carpenter, as Eli Whiteside's one-out single moved Crawford to third and he scored when the hurler Vogelsong bounced out to short.

St. Louis mustered a run of its own in the third with the pitcher in the thick of things. Carpenter singled on a bee-bee into center with one out and moved to second on a groundout. Jay's single to left would have brought a play at the plate, but the ball went past Pat Burrell's glove for a two-base error, allowing Carpenter to score easily.

Sanchez's one-out single to right-center field allowed Andres Torres to score the go-ahead tally in the fifth and the visitors added an insurance run in the seventh on Ross' RBI single.

Game Notes

Sanchez drove in his 18th run of the season, while Ross registered his 13th RBI for the Giants...Pujols has 31 runs batted in for the Cardinals. Before earlier this month, Pujols had not played third base since 2002...San Francisco outfielder Aaron Rowand did not start Tuesday after leaving Monday's game with a bruised right hip. He struck out in a pinch-hit appearance...Giants first baseman Brandon Belt left the game with a left wrist contusion.






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