SF Giants’ winning streak snapped as Walker allows three runs in ninth to Cardinals

ST LOUIS The Giants lost to the St Louis Cardinals - on Saturday night at Busch Stadium as closer Ryan Walker allowed three runs in the bottom of the ninth without recording a single out ending San Francisco s winning streak at five games Nolan Gorman and Mason Wynn led off the bottom of the ninth with back-to-back singles then Walker loaded the bases by plunking Jimmy Crooks The Cardinals brought the meeting within one run on an RBI single by Thomas Saggese then Jordan Walker delivered a walk-off two-run double The Giants streak of consecutive games with at least one home run ends at one shy of tying the New York Giants With a strikeout of Nolan Gorman in the sixth Justin Verlander recorded the th strikeout of his career to pass Giants Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry for eighth on the all-time strikeouts list The next pitcher for Verlander to pass is Don Sutton who totaled strikeouts over seasons Verlander pitched six shutout innings with five strikeouts to no walks Verlander who has a ERA over starts in the second half benefitted from several excellent defensive plays In the second right fielder Drew Gilbert bumped into the wall in foul territory when tracking down Thomas Saggese s fly ball causing the ball to bounce out of his glove Gilbert stuck with the play and corralled the ball to record the out Along with Gilbert s circus catch second baseman Casey Schmitt made a leaping catch in the fourth to rob Iv n Herrera of a hit in the fourth Catcher Patrick Bailey helped stymie a rally in fifth by throwing out Victor Scott II trying to steal third The Giants as they ve been wont to do over the last two weeks struck first plating a pair of runs in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Casey Schmitt and an RBI single by Drew Gilbert