Quinn Mathews, Cardinals pitchers frustrate Giants

Quinn Mathews pitched effectively into the seventh inning and another St. Louis Cardinals rookie, catcher Leo Bernal, contributed three hits and an RBI on Monday night in a 2-1 victory against the San Francisco Giants.

Alec Burleson added a go-ahead single in the fifth, and the Cardinals bullpen pitched out of jams in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to help St. Louis (75-76) win for the third time in four games.

Mathews, a left-hander making his seventh career start, allowed a run, four hits and two walks, along with a season-best eight strikeouts. He lowered his ERA to 3.62.

Mathews (2-3) exited in the seventh with the bases loaded having logged 99 pitches, and San Francisco's Grant McCray grounded to short against left-hander Justin Bruihl.

Mathews has been effective in six of his seven appearances; his start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 22, when he allowed seven runs, was the exception.

Right-hander Ryne Stanek stranded two runners of his own in the eighth, and closer Riley O'Brien picked up his 37th save after issuing a single, a walk and a wild pitch to move both into scoring position in the ninth.

The Giants (62-89) went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and have dropped four in a row.

With one out in the fifth, Thomas Saggese singled and stole second base, and Ivan Herrera walked against Landen Roupp.

Burleson lined the first pitch from left-hander Reiver Sanmartin to right for an RBI single to break a scoreless tie. The day before against the White Sox, Burleson also connected for a big hit against a left-handed pitcher.

A wild pitch moved Burleson to second and, after Jordan Walker drew a walk, Bernal lined an RBI single to right for a 2-0 lead. He has 14 RBIs in 13 games since being promoted from Triple-A Memphis.

Roupp (9-14) allowed two runs, five hits and three walks to go with four strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings.

Mathews allowed a walk in the third and no hits until the sixth before McCray led off with a double. Jonah Cox drove him in with a one-out RBI single.