Chris Johnson watches his single to center in the eighth inning, which scored the eventual winning run. (photo/MLB)
Atlanta Braves starter Gavin Floyd, making his first major league start since April 27th of last year, gave up just one run to the Cardinals on six hits in seven innings. He got a no-decision, but did enough to help his team snap a seven-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Redbirds.
The Cardinals tied the game in the sixth inning when Matt Holliday singled in Matt Carpenter. Holliday went 2 for 4 and drove in his 19th run of the year. St. Louis was held to just six hits on the night.
Tyler Lyons pitched six innings and struck out seven, but gave up a home run to Justin Upton in the fourth inning for his only blemish. Lyons had retired the first ten Braves he faced before Upton snapped out of an 0 for 12 slump.
In the eighth inning, Upton singled and went to third when Freddie Freeman’s line drive bounced off the leg of Randy Choate (0-1) and rolled to Carpenter at third for an infield hit. Pat Neshek gave up a single to Chris Johnson that scored Upton and moved Freeman to third. The Cardinals kept it a one-run game, when they got Freeman out in a rundown after Gerald Laird messed up a suicide squeeze attempt.