Pitching struggles continue for Giants in road loss to Cardinals

Jordan Hicks gives up five earned runs and two homers in return to St. Louis

St. Louis Cardinal hitters had no problem scoring runs, evident by the San Francisco Giants giving up 13 hits and four homers in their 9-4 loss in St. Louis on Saturday. 

Right fielder Alec Burleson had a career-game for the Cardinals, hitting 3 for 4 with two homers while driving in five runs. Rookie shortstop Mason Winn was 3 for 5 and drove in a run. 

Starting pitcher Jordan Hicks struggled in his return to St. Louis as he gave up five earned runs on six hits.

Michael Conforto was the lone bright spot for the Giants as he hit 2 for 4 and had three RBIs. 

Soler got the Giants on the board first when his two-out RBI single in the top of the first inning brought home Brett Wisely. Two batters later, Conforto knocked in Soler and Matt Chapman to give the Giants a 3-0 lead.

The Cardinals responded in their half of the inning when Paul Goldschmidt smashed Hicks’ pitch to left center field, scoring Alec Burleson and making the score 3-2. It was the five-time Silver Slugger’s 350th career homer.

Conforto drove in his third run of the game after he doubled to right field, bringing home Chapman and giving the Giants a 4-2 cushion in the top of the third. 

Hicks’ struggles showed in the fourth inning as the Cardinals shifted the momentum in their favor. 

With two outs and no runners on, Dylan Carlson hit a single and Mason Wynn hit a double to put runners on second and third. Burleson hit a three-run bomb off of Hicks’ 94 mph sinker, giving the Cardinals a 5-4 lead. 

Burleson found more success at the plate in the sixth. He hit a two-run homer to center field, this time off relief pitcher Sean Hjelle, giving St. Louis a three-run cushion. 

Saturday’s game was Burleson’s first multi-homer performance of his career. 

Brendan Donovan’s solo home run iced the game for the Cardinals in the seventh inning as St. Louis took a commanding 8-4 lead. 

The Giants dropped their fourth straight game and will finish the series against St. Louis on Sunday. San Francisco ace Logan Webb is expected to get the start.