SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bryce Eldridge hit a solo home run in the first inning and extended his on-base streak to 17 games, Christian Koss connected the next inning, and the San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Giants right-hander Landen Roupp (9-13) allowed two hits over six scoreless innings with four walks and two strikeouts. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third as San Francisco won for a third straight time with him on the mound. And Roupp won a second straight decision spanning three outings on the heels of a five-start losing streak.
Joel Kuhnel made his home debut after being claimed off waivers from the Brewers last Friday and recorded the final four outs for his seventh save, allowing a two-out single to Nathan Church and Bryan Torres ' RBI single before Iván Herrera grounded out to end the 2-hour, 25-minute game. Pinch-runner Victor Scott II replaced Torres and stole second to put the tying run in scoring position.
Dylan Smith, who has been used for regular ninth-inning duties, had pitched a night earlier and blew a save, but the Giants hung on to win 5-4 in 11 innings.
Alec Burleson singled in the first then drew three walks a day after the Cardinals slugger hit his career-best 22nd home run with a splash shot into McCovey Cove beyond right field.
Lefty Quinn Mathews (1-3) surrendered the two home runs and five hits with four strikeouts and two walks making his sixth career start and fifth on the road for St. Louis .
Cardinals second baseman Thomas Saggese extended his career-best hitting streak to nine games when he singled in the seventh inning.
The Giants hadn't earned a winning series against the Cardinals since sweeping a three-game set in June 2023. This series marks the first meeting of the year between the clubs, who will play their second three-game set next Monday to Wednesday in St. Louis.
Up next
RHP Andre Pallante (12-6, 3.51 ERA) pitches the series finale for St. Louis on Wednesday afternoon opposite Giants RHP Blade Tidwell (0-2, 4.43).
___

