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 The Giants won the season series from St. Louis 4-3. All seven games were played in a span of 11 days.
John Bowker hit his third career home run, all against the Cardinals, and Aaron Rowand drove in two runs as the Giants took two of three and handed St. Louis its first series loss of the season.
Jonathan Sanchez (1-1) pitched two-hit ball for five innings. The Cardinals did not score until getting two runs in the ninth off Vinnie Chulk.
Braden Looper (3-1) endured one of his worst outings since moving to the rotation last year, allowing seven runs on 10 hits in three-plus innings. He missed a chance to become the Cardinals' first starter to start the year 4-0 since Matt Morris in 2002.
Looper ended a run of six consecutive April victories dating to last season. The Giants remain the only NL team he hasn't beaten.
The Giants had 14 hits and batted around in a six-run third against Looper, who was 7-1 with a major league-best 1.82 ERA in day games last year. All of the damage was done with six consecutive hits to open the inning, including RBI doubles by Ray Durham and Molina and Bowker's two-run shot.
Sanchez (1-1) needed 101 pitches in five innings to qualify for the victory, striking out five and walking four. He was in danger of getting yanked with none out in the fifth before Cesar Izturis' double-play ball on a full count.
A second double-play ball with two on and none out in the fourth by Troy Glaus helped Sanchez.
Relievers Keiichi Yabu and Merkin Valdez each pitched two hitless innings. The Cardinals got four hits in the ninth, including RBI doubles by Glaus and Rico Washington.
In two of Sanchez' first three starts, the Giants scored no runs while he was in the game.
[Associated Press; By R.B. FALLSTROM]
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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