Jedd Gyorko hit a three-run homer in the first inning and the Cardinals cruised to an 11-2 win over the Giants in San Francisco. Matt Carpenter and Harrison Bader also went deep for St. Louis. Luke Weaver outdueled Johnny Cueto for the win. Backed by the early offense, Luke Weaver allowed just two hits over eight innings after a string of shaky starts through the month of June. Weaver struck out seven and walked none. This start may have saved his spot in the rotation. Weaver had a 6.49 ERA over his last seven starts.
“It was a long time coming,” Weaver said. “You hate going out there and not being very good. There is an urgency to go out there and knowing you can perform.”
The Cardinals had a season-high 18 hits including three from Gyorko who drove five runs. Matt Carpenter and Harrison Bader also went deep while Yadier Molina singled three times.
>>Cards Clash With Giants Again Tonight
The Cardinals clash with the Giants again tonight in San Francisco. It’s the second of their four-game series, with John Gant slated to oppose Dereck Rodriguez. The Cardinals are third in the NL Central at 45-and-41, six-and-a-half games behind the first-place Brewers.
>>Cardinals Acquire Minor League Lefty From Phillies
The Cardinals are adding a southpaw to their organization. They’ve acquired left-hander Elniery Garcia from the Phillies in exchange for part of their five-million-dollar international bonus money purse. The 23-year-old was 0-and-6 with a 6.38 ERA at Double-A Reading.
