12-10-2019, 08:14 AM
ST. LOUIS -- Michael Morse rewarded his manager for giving him a rare day off. Morse homered and drove in three runs and Pablo Sandoval homered and scored twice to propel the San Francisco Giants to a 6-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series. "It looked like the day off served him well," said manager Bruce Bochy, who sat Morse for the first time this season Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs. "A home run and that big hit off of one of the more dominant closers in the game with the power arm that he has." The Giants, at the start of a seven-game trip to St. Louis and Cincinnati, have won seven of eight. The Cardinals have dropped three of four to start their nine-game home stand. Gregor Blanco scored from second on Angel Pagans single to centre to tie the score at 4-all in the eighth. Third base coach Tim Flannery initially held Blanco at third because of centre fielder Peter Bourjos strong arm. But Blanco scored when the throw bounced on the home plate side of the mound and past three Cardinals, including Carlos Martinez (0-3), who was in front of catcher Yadier Molina rather than backing up the throw. Pagan moved up to second on the throw. Trevor Rosenthal came in after Martinez intentionally walked Sandoval, but Morse doubled just past a diving Bourjos to drive in Pagan and Sandoval and give the Giants a 6-4 lead. "I knew he was going to come with something hard," Morse said. "I just tried to be short. I just tried to touch something." Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said Martinez stopped when he saw Blanco stayed at third. He stabbed at the throw from Bourjos, keeping Molina from making the catch and allowing the ball to go to the screen. "Yaddy never was able to see the ball," Matheny said. "As soon as that balls hit, they all know, theyve got to get behind the catcher. He was in the wrong spot and it ended up hurting." Javier Lopez (1-0) got two groundouts in relief of Ryan Vogelsong for his first win since Sept. 22, 2013, at the New York Yankees. Sergio Romo gave up a run on Matt Carpenters two-out single, but held on for his 17th save in 19 chances. Romo has surrendered four runs in the past three games and had his ERA rise to 3.52. Morse, in his first season with the Giants, has nine hits in his past 16 at-bats, with five doubles, a triple and the home run. Hes driven in eight during that five-game span and has a team-high 37 RBIs for the year. "Were just playing," he said. "The mentality we have and the fun were having, I think winning is contagious and we love to win. Were just going to keep going at it." Vogelsong allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five in 6 1-3 innings. Sandovals eighth homer of the season tied the score at 3-3 in the sixth inning. The third baseman has an RBI in each of the past nine games. Hes the first Giant to do that since Barry Bonds in 2000. Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia went seven innings, giving up three runs on five hits. He struck out seven and has yet to issue a walk this season. He was in line for the victory after Allen Craig hit his sixth homer of the season and second in three games off Vogelsong in the bottom of the sixth. "We definitely had a bead on that game," Craig said. "It felt like we were going to win it, but thats baseball. We didnt make enough plays." Vogelsong got into trouble in the fourth when the Cardinals loaded the bases with none out on Matt Hollidays single and consecutive walks to Craig and Molina. Jhonny Peralta, batting .111 (5 of 45) with runners in scoring position, grounded into a double play, plating Holliday. John Jay drove in Craig with a single to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead. Morse tied the score at 1-1 with his ninth homer of the season, a 442-foot blast to left centre to lead off the second. Brandon Hicks scored on Blancos single to give the Giants a 2-1 lead. St. Louis snapped Vogelsongs scoreless streak at 13 2-3 innings with a run in the first. Craigs ground-rule double brought home Carpenter, who singled to lead off and stole second with two outs. NOTES: Carpenters first-inning single extended his NL-best hitting streak to 11 games. ... The Giants improved to 9-14 when their opponents score first. ... Holliday has reached base safely in all 25 home games. . San Francisco C Buster Posey didnt play because of an ongoing back issue. Bochy said he is day to day. ... St. Louis 1B Matt Adams sat for the second consecutive night with a stiff left calf, though he was available as a pinch hitter. . The Cardinals entered the game without a home run off Vogelsong in 68 at-bats, and all but three of their 24 hits were for singles. The Giants had just one homer off Garcia in 66 at-bats, but seven of their 19 hits went for extra bases. . Cardinals prospect Tim Cooney had a no-hitter broken up with two outs in ninth Thursday for Triple-A Memphis. He settled for one-hitter. . St. Louis is set to start Adam Wainwright (8-2, 1.67) against San Franciscos Madison Bumgarner (6-3, 3.15) on Friday night. Fake Warriors Jerseys . -- The Denver Broncos are shuffling their offensive line this off-season and Orlando Franklin provided some insight into their plans Monday by tweeting that hes moving from right tackle to left guard. Wholesale Warriors Jerseys .com) - Guard Greivis Vasquez and forward Patrick Patterson, two key pieces to the Toronto Raptors run to an Atlantic Division title in 2013-14, were both given qualifying offers by the team on Saturday. https://www.cheapwarriors.com/ .Voegele will next play Anna Schmiedlova of Slovakia, who saved 10 of 16 break points to defeat Annika Beck of Germany 7-6 (6), 6-4.Also, Marina Erakovic of New Zealand defeated eighth-seeded Caroline Garcia of France 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Warriors Jerseys China .C. -- Marcus Paige and his North Carolina teammates have endured so many wild swings -- big wins, surprising losses, NCAA drama -- that no one can blame their Hall of Fame coach for wondering whats next. Stitched Warriors Jerseys . -- Arkansas didnt need a spectacular dunk to beat No.Hallandale Beach, FL - California Chrome, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, was voted the Eclipse Award as 2014 Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male thoroughbred. The honors were part of the Eclipse Awards announced Saturday evening at Gulfstream Park Racetrack. California Chrome, owned by Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, was named Horse of the Year over Breeders Cup Classic winner Bayern and Breeders Cup Turf champion Main Sequence, who did receive the honor as top Male Turf Horse. Its an honor to be nominated and to win these two prestigious awards, Coburn said after the Horse of the Year announcement. Ive got to thank all the fans that love this horse. Because if it wasnt for the fans we would not have horse racing and if it wasnt for horse racing we would not have fans. Trained by Art Sherman and ridden by Victor Espinoza, California Chrome was a finalist in the 3-year-old male category along with Bayern and Shared Belief, who was 2013s champion 2-year-old colt and gelding. Im so excited, Sherman said. I wish my jock was here, Espinoza. Hes a great rider and he did everything rigght with this horse.dddddddddddd California Chrome received 143 first-place votes for Horse of the Year to Main Sequences 53 and Bayerns 36. In the voting for top 3-year-old, California Chrome garnered 193 first-place votes to Bayerns 56 and Shared Beliefs 15. Untapable, champion 3-year-old filly, was the only unanimous selection, receiving all 265 votes. The Eclipse Awards are voted on by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, National Turf Writers and Broadcasters and Daily Racing Form. The 2014 Eclipse Awards winners: Horse of the Year: California Chrome 2-Year-Old Male: American Pharoah 2-Year-Old Filly: Take Charge Brandi 3-Year-Old Male: California Chrome 3-Year-Old Filly: Untapable Older Male: Main Sequence Older Female: Close Hatches Male Sprinter: Work All Week Female Sprinter: Judy the Beauty Male Turf Horse: Main Sequence Female Turf Horse: Dayatthespa Steeplechase Horse: Demonstrative Owner: Ken and Sarah Ramsey Breeder: Ken and Sarah Ramsey Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: Javier Castellano Apprentice Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke ' ' '