Sandoval drives in 5 as Giants outscore Cards, 13-8

[July 09, 2018]  Pablo Sandoval drove in five runs, his highest RBI total in a game since 2013, with a three-run home run and two-run single Sunday afternoon, sending the San Francisco Giants to a 13-8 victory over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals and a split of their four-game series.

Madison Bumgarner (2-3) benefitted from a 17-hit attack to win for just the second time in seven starts this season. The Giants scored more runs in one game than they'd totaled in their previous six (10).

Thanks in large part to Yairo Munoz's solo homer and two-run single, the Cardinals took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning before the Giants took charge.

Sandoval's three-run homer in the fifth gave the Giants a lead they never relinquished. Scoring ahead of him on his eighth homer of the season were Brandon Belt, who had doubled, and Brandon Crawford, who had singled.

The homer came off the Cardinals' third pitcher, John Brebbia (1-3).

St. Louis got just 2 1/3 innings from starter Jack Flaherty, who was pulled after allowing three runs (two earned) and four hits. He walked two and struck out two.

The Giants built a comfortable margin with a five-run sixth that featured Sandoval's two-run single, which came with two outs. Alen Hanson followed with an RBI single, and Gorkys Hernandez added a two-run single to push the San Francisco lead to 11-4.

Bumgarner, who contributed offensively with a walk and a single, worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs and seven hits. He walked two and struck out six.

The Cardinals rallied against the San Francisco bullpen to make things interesting. Matt Carpenter's three-run homer, his 17th of the season, in the eighth inning was the key blow, drawing St. Louis within 11-8.

Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval (48) hits a three run home run during the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

Tony Watson came on to get the final two outs of the eighth before the Giants added on in the bottom of the inning on an error after Sandoval and Hanson had each recorded his third hit of the game.

Andrew McCutchen also had three hits, while Belt, Hernandez and Steven Duggar collected two apiece for the Giants, whose 13-run total was a season-best, two higher than the previous mark set on May 5 at Atlanta.

Duggar went 2-for-6 as San Francisco's center fielder and leadoff man in his major league debut.

Sandoval scored three runs, and Hanson, Belt and Buster Posey tallied twice each for San Francisco, which won or tied its 11th consecutive home series dating back to April.

Jose Martinez had three hits, while Munoz and Jedd Gyorko added two apiece for the Cardinals, who lost for just the third time in seven outings on their nine-game trip.

The Cardinals were out-hit 17-11.

The series split allowed Cardinals manager Mike Matheny to retain the distinction of never having lost a series in San Francisco. His club has won four and tied three series at AT&T Park in his seven seasons.

--Field Level Media

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