Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Carlos Beltran provided all the offense the
Cardinals needed Tuesday, crushing a two-run homer and a grand slam in the
first two innings of a 6-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the middle
tilt of a three-game set at Chase Field.
Matt Holliday and Skip Schumaker had two hits apiece and Jon Jay added a
triple for the Cardinals, who have won three straight.
Jake Westbrook (4-2) was superb on the mound as he gave up just four hits and
two walks while whiffing eight in seven scoreless frames. Kyle McClellan
tossed a perfect eighth and Mitchell Boggs gave up a run in the ninth, but
closed it out to secure the win for the Cards.
Miguel Montero knocked in the only run of the game for the D-Backs with a
double, while Aaron Hill added three hits.
Ian Kennedy (3-2) allowed six runs on six hits and a pair of walks while
striking out six over seven innings for Arizona, which has lost four straight
and six of its last seven.
The Cards jumped on top in their first at-bat when Jay led off the game by
ripping a triple and Beltran followed by smoking a hanging curveball from
Kennedy over the wall in right field for a 2-0 advantage.
The Diamondbacks put two runners on in the home half of the first when Hill
slapped a single up the middle and Montero walked two batters later, but
Westbrook got Paul Goldschmidt to ground out to end the threat.
St. Louis struck again in its next at-bat. Schumaker clubbed a one-out double
and Westbrook walked and Jay was plunked to load the bags with two outs.
Beltran then cracked his second homer of the game, blasting a fastball over
the right field wall for a grand slam and a 6-0 advantage.
Arizona finally cracked the scoreboard in the ninth when Justin Upton slapped
a single back through the box and came around to score on Montero's shot into
the left-center field gap.
Game Notes
The Cardinals continued their torrid hitting in the first inning of games.
They now scored in the first inning in each of their last eight games and in
15 of their first 30 contests this year...the Cardinals have out-scored the
opposition 29-16 in the opening inning this season...It was Beltran's fifth
career six-RBI game...Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina left the game in the
ninth inning...St. Louis went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position and
stranded three.
The Sports Network