Chris Haft
MLB.com
The Giants spent most of the past week trying to rewrite the script of their season. But their 6-2 loss Saturday night to the St. Louis Cardinals followed established storylines.
The offensively challenged Giants scored 31 runs and batted .308 while winning five of their previous six games, including the last four in a row. This time, though, San Francisco regressed against 2005 National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter (3-0) and two relievers, collecting just two hits in the final six innings. Becoming the first team to score an earned run off Carpenter, who began the game having allowed just an unearned run in 23 innings, was scant consolation for San Francisco.
Albert Pujols reaffirmed his reputation as one of baseball's most formidable hitters, homering twice. He recorded the 26th multiple-homer game of his career and third of the season.
Also, Barry Zito's lucklessness remained intact. The Giants left-hander again pitched capably yet received nothing for his effort except for his fourth consecutive defeat.
"The baseball gods weren't in my favor tonight," Zito said.
Zito (1-6), who entered the game with the Major Leagues' lowest run support, took a 2-1 lead into the seventh inning before pinch-hitter Nick Stavinoha and Skip Schumaker doubled, tying the score. One out later, Chris Duncan also doubled, smoking a 1-2 pitch past first baseman Pablo Sandoval and into the right-field corner to send home Schumaker.
Through this sequence, Zito's pitch count, which rested at 96 after six innings, climbed toward its total of 116, 10 above his season average. Yet manager Bruce Bochy stuck with Zito, not only because of his effectiveness up to that point against the Cardinals but also as a nod to the quality he has maintained this year.
"That's his game," Bochy said. "... I think he has earned that."
Reviewing the inning, Zito spared most of his self-criticism for the 1-2 pitch he threw Duncan.
"I probably should have finished that, made that ball off the plate more," Zito said. "It had good break on it but he stuck with it. ... Other than that, I did what I had to do."
Zito has accomplished that virtually all season. Judging from the crowd reaction at AT&T Park, he has turned doubters into believers by making six quality starts in 10 appearances and clearly falling victim to the offense's insufficient backing.
Watching Matt Cain weather the poor run support that followed him through the previous two seasons bolsters Zito's belief that he, too, will survive such adversity.
"If I just keep scrapping along, being aggressive and in command, that's what it's all about," Zito said. "When you persevere with your approach and trust your approach, the game will end up in your favor in the long run. It hasn't been that way this year, but I can't focus on my record. I have to focus on positive things and get ready for this next time out."
Two of Zito's confrontations against Pujols provided vivid entertainment. The matchup was something Zito eagerly anticipated.
"Him, Manny [Ramirez] and A-Rod [Alex Rodriguez] are the three best guys in the game right now, offensively," Zito said. "It's always fun going up against these guys and seeing what your skills can do against their skills."
Pujols christened the fourth inning by socking his first homer of the evening, driving a 2-2 fastball over the center-field wall to halve the Giants' 2-0 lead.
"Not a terrible pitch," Zito said. "But he got his arms extended."
Zito gained a measure of revenge by slipping a 2-2 curveball past Pujols for a called third strike with Duncan on first base and nobody out in the sixth.
"Nevertheless, the homer hurts," said Zito, who was a spectator when Pujols homered again in the ninth off Justin Miller.
The Giants dropped to 19-3 when they score first. They jumped ahead in the second inning on Fred Lewis' double and Juan Uribe's triple, then added a third-inning run on doubles by Randy Winn and Bengie Molina. But beginning with Carpenter's strikeout of Lewis to end the third, Cardinals pitchers retired 19 of the final 21 Giants batters.
 St. Louis (29-20) Won 1 | St. Louis 6, San Francisco 2 |  San Francisco (24-24) Lost 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Standings thru 5/30/09 | Recap: STL | SF | Wrap | Gameday |
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