Cueto, Giants top Cardinals
ST. LOUIS -- Johnny Cueto continued his winning ways Friday night in a ballpark that's not been very kind to him over the years.
Overcoming unusual control trouble, Cueto won his sixth straight decision and upped his record to 9-1 with six solid innings as the San Francisco Giants stopped the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1.
Cueto gave up four hits and an unearned run, walking a season-high five and striking out a season-low one. Prior to this start, his career earned run average at Busch Stadium was 5.71.
Adam Wainwright (5-4) absorbed the loss despite seven good innings. Wainwright gave up five hits and two runs, issuing a walk and whiffing six.
San Francisco (35-22) broke it open in the ninth. After St. Louis closer Trevor Rosenthal, who hadn't pitched since Monday, walked the bases loaded, Denard Span greeted reliever Dean Kiekhefer with a two-run single through a drawn-in infield that scored Gregor Blanco and Jarrett Parker.
One out later, Matt Duffy added a suicide squeeze bunt to plate Kelby Tomlinson as the Giants improved to 5-3 on their 10-game road trip.
The Cardinals (28-27) dropped to 13-16 at home.
St. Louis opened the scoring in the third inning on a two-out RBI single to right-center by Stephen Piscotty, raising his batting average with runners in scoring position to .510.
San Francisco responded with two runs in its half of the fourth, thanks largely to three straight two-strike singles. The last two, coming off the bats of Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford, produced the runs.
The Cardinals managed only three hits through the first five innings off Johnny Cueto, but let multiple chances slip away. Cueto walked five, including two in the third and fourth, but none of those free passes came around to score.
NOTES: St. Louis signed RHP Jerome Williams to a minor league contract and will send him to Triple-A Memphis. The 34-year-old Williams last pitched in 2015 with Philadelphia, going 4-12 with a 5.80 ERA in 33 games, 21 of which were starts. ... San Francisco RF Hunter Pence (hamstring) is scheduled to undergo surgery and will be out at least eight weeks. Pence was injured Wednesday night in Atlanta. ... Cardinals C Brayan Pena (left knee) will start a rehab assignment Tuesday at Double-A Springfield. Pena was injured late in spring training and hasn't played yet this season.