Giants 4 - 2 Cardinals
Final
  for this game

Posey, Zito lead Giants over Cardinals

Aug 8, 2012 - 4:44 AM

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St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Buster Posey's three-run homer in the first inning was held up by Barry Zito and the Giants bullpen in a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Zito (9-8) gave up a pair of solo home runs to Allen Craig but held the Cardinals to just six other hits over 6 2/3 effective innings.

"He was crisp with all of his pitches. He had a good look about him," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said of Zito.

Jeremy Affeldt recorded the final four outs, including a double-play ball off the bat of pinch-hitter Matt Carpenter, to record his third save of the year.

The Cardinals, who were looking for a fifth straight win, went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight.

Lance Lynn (13-5) yielded four runs on eight hits and three walks over six innings to take the loss, his first since June 30.

Angel Pagan and Marco Scutaro began the game with base hits, and two batters later Posey found the seats in center field for his 18th home run of the season.

"[Lynn] made a mistake to a good hitter and he made him pay," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.

Craig went deep in the third and fifth frames, but Joaquin Arias added an insurance run for the visitors with an RBI double in the sixth.

Clay Hensley and Sergio Romo bridged the gap between Zito and Affeldt, who quickly erased Rafael Furcal's leadoff single in the ninth with a 1-6-3 double play.

St. Louis took the opener of this four-game series, 8-2, and had won eight straight at Busch Stadium.

Game Notes

Five years ago Tuesday, Giants slugger Barry Bonds hit his 756th career home run to pass Hank Aaron and become baseball's all-time home run king...Posey is hitting .432 (19-for-44) with five homers and 13 RBI during an 11-game hitting streak...Zito improved to 2-6 in his career against the Cardinals.






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