Giants 2, Cardinals 0
ST. LOUIS -- Ryan Vogelsong wasn't supposed to start Tuesday night's game, but the San Francisco Giants are glad he did.
Vogelsong, a late fill-in, authored six shutout innings as San Francisco blanked the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 at Busch Stadium.
In improving to 9-8, Vogelsong allowed two hits, walked one and fanned five. After slogging through a 30-pitch first inning, the right-hander retired 16 of his last 17 hitters, allowing only a leadoff double by shortstop Jhonny Peralta in the fourth.
Four relievers handled the last three innings for San Francisco (65-54), with Santiago Casilla garnering his 29th save. The Giants moved within 2 1/2 games of the first place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, pending the outcome of the Dodgers' game in Oakland.
Lance Lynn (9-8) matched Vogelsong for five innings, but was touched for a run in the sixth when shortstop Brandon Crawford's bouncer to third with the bases loaded knocked in center fielder Gregor Blanco.
San Francisco added a run in the seventh when St. Louis reliever Randy Choate plunked first baseman Brandon Belt with the bases loaded.
Lynn permitted four hits and two runs over 6 2/3 innings, walking five and fanning six as the Cardinals (76-43) lost for only the 19th time in 64 home games.
After a 31-minute weather delay, the game started in a light rain shower that spent itself during the first two innings.
Lynn didn't permit a hit until Crawford led off the fifth with a double off the glove of left fielder Brandon Moss. But Lynn worked his way out of the inning with a pair of strikeouts, fanning Vogelsong for the third out after issuing an intentional walk to right fielder Justin Maxwell.
NOTES: San Francisco RF Hunter Pence (left oblique) didn't start after injuring himself swinging at a Trevor Rosenthal pitch in the ninth inning on Monday night. ... St. Louis CF Jason Heyward (left hamstring) didn't start after leaving Monday night's game in the third inning, but was available to pinch-hit if needed. ... Giants RHP Mike Leake (hamstring) wasn't able to make the start as scheduled Tuesday night. Leake has allowed just two runs in 16 innings of two starts against the Cardinals this year.