Cardinals 9, Diamondbacks 1
PHOENIX - St. Louis right fielder Jason Heyward drove in two runs and scored twice, and left-hander Jaime Garcia gave up one run in six innings in the Cardinals' 9-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Tuesday.
Heyward's two-run singled sparked a four-run first inning, and Garcia (6-4) improved his career record against Arizona to 5-0 while dropping his ERA to 1.77 in 13 starts this season.
Catcher Yadier Molina and shortstop Jhonny Peralta drove in two runs apiece and center fielder Tommy Pham had three hits and scored three times as the Cardinals (80-45) won their third straight.
First baseman Paul Goldschmidt had two of Arizona's seven hits, including a ground rule double that stuck in the padded portion of the right-center field fence in the fourth inning.
Left-hander Robbie Ray (3-10) suffered his sixth straight loss as the Diamondbacks (62-63) lost their second straight after winning the previous four.
Arizona third baseman Aaron Hill drove in Goldschmidt with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. Hill has 16 hits in his last 47 at-bats.
Cardinals pinch-hitter Peter Bourjos hit his third homer of the season in the seventh inning to break an 0-for-21 slide.
St. Louis third baseman Matt Carpenter walked, was hit by a pitch and scored twice. He left in the sixth inning, two innings after being hit in the right arm.
Six of the first seven hitters reached base when the Cardinals took a 4-0 lead in the first inning.
Carpenter walked and Pham singled, with the runners ending at second and third after a late throw to third base, before Heyward's one-out single drove in the first two runs.
Molina followed with an RBI double and stole third before left fielder Piscotty walked and Wong singled to make it 4-0.
Carpenter was hit by a pitch and Pham singled in the fourth inning to knock out Ray, and shortstop Jhonny Peralta and Molina followed with sacrifice flies to make it 6-0.
Goldschmidt doubled to right center in the bottom of the frame, took third on a wild pitch and scored on third baseman Aaron Hill's sacrifice fly to make it 6-1.
Peralta and Piscotty singled in runs in the sixth for an 8-1 lead.
Rookie Robbie Ray (3-10) gave up six runs on five hits and five walks in three-plus innings to raise his ERA to a season-high 3.86.
NOTES: St. Louis 2B Kolten Wong returned to the lineup after sitting out the previous two games. ... Arizona RHP Jhoulys Chacin will remain in the rotation and make his second start of the year Saturday, manager Chip Hale said. Chacin gave up three runs (two earned) in 6 1/3 innings of a a 5-3 loss Monday, his first appearance in the majors since June 28, 2014, with Colorado. RHP Randall Delgado will return to the bullpen, Hale said, and could be a candidate to start one game of a Sept. 1 doubleheader in Colorado. Delgado gave up six hits and four runs in a spot start Aug. 22, lasting 2 1/3 innings in his first start of the season. ... Arizona RHP Evan Marshall visited with teammates in the clubhouse three weeks after suffering a fractured skull when by was struck by a line drive while with Triple-A Reno El Paso. Marshall underwent emergency surgery to alleviate swelling and bleeding on the brain. He is in out-patient therapy at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix and is not expected to return to the mound this season.