Tuesday’s Game Report: Giants 2, Cardinals 1
By Rob Rains
Getting the first two outs in an inning wasn’t a problem for Quinn Mathews on Tuesday night. The problem was what happened after that.
Mathews allowed a pair of two-out home runs in the first two innings and that was all of the offense the Giants needed to beat the Cardinals in San Francisco.
All five of the Giants hits in Mathews’ six innings came with two outs, as did the two walks that he issued.
The Cardinals were held to just three hits through the first eight innings before they finally were able to push a run across in the ninth but left the would-be tying run on second base.
The loss dropped the Cardinals to six games out of the third wild-card spot with just 16 games left in the regular season.
Here is how Tuesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals’ hits until the ninth were singles by Alec Burleson in the first inning, by Ivan Herrera in the third and by Thomas Saggese in the seventh … They also drew four walks and had a runner reach on an error but hit into two double plays and left five runners on base through the seventh … They loaded the bases in the eighth on two walks and a dropped third strike, but Joshua Baez flew out to end the inning … In the ninth, Nathan Church singled with two outs, advanced to second and scored on a single by Bryan Torres. Victor Scott II ran for Torres and stole second, but Herrera grounded out to end the game.
On the mound: The six innings was the most innings Mathews has worked in his six starts for the Cardinals, five of which have come on the road … Gordon Graceffo worked the final two scoreless innings, but he had to pitch out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the seventh, getting two strikeouts and a fly out.
Key stat: The Cardinals had scored 51 runs in the first seven games of the road trip to Los Angeles, Colorado and San Francisco, an average of 7.3 runs per game
Worth noting: Masyn Winn returned to the lineup after missing 15 games because of a broken thumb and went hitless in four at-bats … With Winn back, Saggese started at second base and then finished the game at third … To make room for Winn on the roster Cesar Prieto was optioned to Memphis … The Giants got 18 outs on ground balls.
Up next: Andre Pallante will get the start in Wednesday’s day game that will wrap up their nine-game road trip as the Cardinals try to salvage the final game against the Giants.
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