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Giants eye series win over Cardinals

Jun 2, 2011 - 2:44 PM (Sports Network) - The San Francisco Giants aim for a series win tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals in the finale of a four-game set at Busch Stadium.

San Francisco has won two of the first three of this series and posted a 7-5 victory in 11 innings last night thanks to RBI singles from Nate Schierholtz and Brandon Crawford in the top of the 11th frame. Schierholtz had three hits, two RBI and a pair of runs scored, Cody Ross finished with four hits and an RBI and Aubrey Huff homered for the Giants, who won for the third time in nine tries and are 3-3 on a seven-game road trip.

Tim Lincecum didn't have a great start and posted a no-decision after allowing five runs and 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings. Sergio Romo got the win with a scoreless 10th inning and closer Brian Wilson managed to post his 15th save in the bottom of the 11th despite giving up two hits. Wilson was on the hill when the Busch Stadium lights went out for about 20 minutes.

"I've had some pretty interesting innings before, but that's at the top of the charts," Wilson said on the team's site. "It kind of felt like coming in in the eighth inning, sitting down and coming back out there."

After tonight's game the Giants will return to the Bay area for a 10-game homestand versus Colorado, Washington and Cincinnati.

Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez will face the Cardinals for the second time this season and did not record a decision in a 5-4 win back on April 8 at AT&T Park. Sanchez held the Cardinals in check by allowing just a run and four hits in five innings with eight strikeouts and three walks. In four career appearances (3 starts) against the Cardinals, Sanchez is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA.

Sanchez, who has lasted at least five innings in all 11 of his starts this season, is 0-1 in his previous three outings with two straight no-decisions. In a 3-2 loss at Milwaukee on Saturday, the lefty was reached for two runs and two hits with eight K's and four walks over seven innings.

"That's every day; we play like that every day," said Sanchez, who is 3-3 with a 3.37 ERA in 11 starts. "That's last year, and every time this year, it's close games."

St. Louis lost for the fourth time in 11 tries last night, as Ryan Franklin was dealt the loss for allowing two runs and three hits in the final two innings of work. Jake Westbrook drew the start and was reached for three runs and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Allen Craig hit a pinch-hit two-run homer in the seventh inning, while Yadier Molina and Daniel Descalso had three hits apiece for the Cardinals, who will also host the Chicago Cubs for three games on this seven-game residency. Craig is batting .450 with three homers and 10 RBI since May 19 and has hit safely in 11 of his previous 13 contests.

Ryan Theriot added two hits and an RBI to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. Manager Tony La Russa is closing in on 5,000 regular-season games managed in his career and has eight more to go.

La Russa hopes youngster Lance Lynn will get him closer to that mark when the right-hander makes his major league debut Thursday. Lynn went 5-3 with a 4.06 ERA in 10 starts with the ballclub's Triple-A affiliate in Memphis and is filling the spot Kyle McClellan left when he was placed on the disabled list with a strained hip flexor.

Lynn, the 39th overall pick in the 2008 Draft, just pitched on Sunday for Memphis, but Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak expressed no concern on the quick turnaround for Lynn.

"Everything's positive on that. We wouldn't make the move, wouldn't bring him up if it wasn't positive," Mozeliak told the club's website.

The Cardinals are expected to place outfielder Matt Holliday on the disabled list with a left quadriceps strain. Holliday is batting .342 with six homers and 31 RBI this season.

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