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 It failed.
However, just about every other aspect of St. Louis' series finale
against the San Francisco Giants was a success.
The Cardinals hit three home runs, including a game-opening shot by
Matt Carpenter, in a 7-5 victory over the Giants that gave them a
2-1 series win over the defending World Series champions.
"It's really coming together right now," Heyward said of the
Cardinals, who won seven of eight on their just completed Western
swing after losing twice in San Diego. "We try to finish road trips
-- especially ones like this -- .500. This was a great trip."
Left-hander Jaime Garcia survived 10 Giants hits in 6 1/3 innings to
win for the 10th time in his past 15 road starts, helping the
first-place Cardinals (84-46) increase their lead over the
Pittsburgh Pirates (79-50) in the National League Central to 4 1/2
games.
The Cardinals and Pirates meet in a showdown series in St. Louis
later this week.
Not that Cardinals manager Mike Matheny seems to have noticed.
"For me, it's not about winning a series or calling something a
must-win game," he said. "I take a simple approach. Win today's
game. You do that enough, you're going to be all right.
"It seems the players like the approach."
The Giants, meanwhile, lost their second in a row to complete a 3-3
homestand. They head to Los Angeles to square off with the
first-place Dodgers in a three-game series beginning Monday night.
The Giants (69-61) left the field Sunday trailing Los Angeles by
four games, pending the outcome of the Dodgers' night game against
the Chicago Cubs.
"This series coming up is a critical series. We know it," Giants
manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's that time of the year. You look
forward to series like this, especially when you're behind. We need
to win ballgames. It's that simple."
The Cardinals roughed up Giants rookie right-hander Chris Heston for
three runs within the first four batters of the game and never
looked back.
Carpenter got the high-powered offensive show rolling with his 20th
homer of the season on Heston's second pitch of the game. The home
run as the Cardinals' first batter of the game was Carpenter's fifth
of the season and ninth of his career.
Left fielder Brandon Moss and first baseman Mark Reynolds hit solo
home runs for the Cardinals, who collected 13 hits against six
Giants pitchers. Moss' homer was his second since joining St. Louis,
while Reynolds hit his 12th of the year.
Overall, Heyward was the club's big hitter of the day. He had three
hits, including an RBI triple in the three-run first and a double in
the third.
He went into his final at-bat needing a home run to complete a
cycle, he was informed by teammate Michael Wacha.
"I didn't know last time," Heyward said of needing a home run the
previous Sunday in San Diego to complete a cycle. "I told (Wacha):
'Make sure you tell me next time.' He said, 'I'll make sure I tell
you in a couple of days.'
"He did."
Heyward grounded out against Giants reliever Josh Osich in the ninth
inning.
Catcher Yadier Molina drove in Heyward twice, with a single in the
first and a double in the third.
Carpenter also had two hits, one a double that added to the
Cardinals' total of seven extra-base hits.
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"I thought the guys did a great job changing the course," Matheny
said of the trip, "making it look like what it's been the whole
season."
Heston (11-8), who hadn't pitched since Aug. 17 while given an
in-season breather, gave up five runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.
He recorded one strikeout and did not walk a batter.
Staked to a 6-2 lead, Garcia (7-4) pitched into the seventh inning,
leaving with one on and one out in a 6-4 game.
Right-hander Steve Cishek came on to induce Giants third baseman
Matt Duffy to ground into his second double play to end the inning.
The Cardinals then added an insurance run in the eighth on a two-out
RBI single by shortstop Greg Garcia, scoring second baseman Kolten
Wong.
Like Heston, Jaime Garcia recorded no walks and one strikeout.
Right fielder Marlon Byrd drove in four of the Giants' five runs
with two doubles and a triple.
The triple came in the bottom of the eighth against the third
Cardinals pitcher, right-hander Jonathan Broxton, and got the Giants
within 7-5. However, Broxton struck out second baseman Kelby
Tomlinson with one out and Byrd on third base, then caught center
fielder Gregor Blanco looking on a full count to end the threat.
Left-hander Kevin Siegrist recorded his sixth save of the season,
striking out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth.
"We swung the bats well," Bochy said. "It was just too big of an
uphill climb."
First baseman Brandon Belt had four singles, and catcher Buster
Posey added three hits for the Giants, who totaled 12 hits.
Byrd's doubles, both off the right field wall, followed consecutive
hits by Belt and Posey in the first and sixth innings. His first
double drove in both baserunners and got the Giants within 3-2. His
second double, which scored Belt, made it 6-3.
Tomlinson got San Francisco within 6-4 later in the sixth with an
infield out that plated Posey.
NOTES: The 7-3 trip improved the Cardinals' road record to 38-27,
the best mark in all of baseball. ... Coupled with St. Louis' win
Saturday, the Giants endured consecutive home defeats for the first
time since June 14-15. ... Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn announced before
the game that his sprained right ankle is much improved and he will
make his next scheduled start Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Lynn was hurt in the eighth inning of Saturday's win. ... Giants SS
Brandon Crawford (tightness in left oblique) took batting practice
before the game and hopes to be back in the starting lineup Monday
against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Crawford missed the final five
games of the Giants' just completed homestand. ... Giants RHP Tim
Lincecum (degenerative hip) disclosed before the game that he could
miss the rest of the season because of continuing problems in his
hip. He hasn't pitched since June 27.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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