The St. Louis Cardinals are nearing elimination from playoff contention in their rebuilding season, falling 10-3 to the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium after Bryce Eldridge hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs.
Eldridge has been on a tear over his last 28 games hitting .343 with 28 RBIs, and started the scoring in the game against the Cardinals with his two run home run, driving in Drew Gilbert. An RBI single by rookie Turner Hill scored Jonah Cox putting San Francisco up 3-0 heading into the bottom half of the inning. The Cardinals put one run on the board in the bottom half, Alec Burleson hitting a solo home run with two outs to cut into the Giants lead.
A groundout from Hill scored another run to start a four run third inning, driving in Cox. Grant McCray's RBI single added another run bringing home Jung Ho Lee, and after McCray stole second base, Christian Koss drove in two more on an RBI single, scoring Drew Cavanaugh and McCray. A sacrifice fly by Iván Herrera in the bottom half of the third brought home Masyn Winn to cut into the lead again, but the Giants got the run back in the fourth inning on an RBI double from Osleivis Basabe, driving in Eldridge.
Leading 8-2, the Giants scored another run in the top of the eighth inning on Eldridge's RBI double, bringing home Brett Harris. The Cardinals scored their final run in the bottom half of the inning with a two out RBI single by Nolan Gorman that brought home José Fermín, but again in the ninth inning San Francisco got the run back adding their final run with a solo home run from Hill. Andre Pallante took the loss, falling to 12-7, lasting five innings and allowing eight hits and eight runs, six earned while striking out two and walking two.
Pallante had allowed just one run or less in four of his last five starts. At the plate, the Cardinals had just five hits on the afternoon. Burleson was 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Gorman, pinch hitting for Burleson, was 1-for-1 with an RBI. Fermín was 1-for-2 with a double.
St. Louis and San Francisco continue their series tomorrow. Matthew Liberatore (5-14, 5.53 ERA, 146Ks) starts for the Cardinals against Anthony Munoz (3-1, 5.24 ERA, 19Ks) for the Giants. First pitch is at 12:15pm, coverage will begin at 12:05 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).
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