The Braves and Cardinals had the two highest run differentials in the National League entering the start of this series. Following a wild win in extra innings in game one, Brandon Beachy led Atlanta to a dominating 7-2 victory over St. Louis to claim the series. The Braves will now go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon.
Beachy was phenomenal once again against statistically the best lineup in the NL thus far, working six innings of one-run ball. He allowed just two hits and four walks, striking out six in the process. Kris Medlen allowed a run to score in two innings of relief, and Cristhian Martinez closed out the game in the ninth.
Adam Wainwright was wild for St. Louis in the first inning and the Braves made him pay. After two seeing-eye hits for Michael Bourn and Martin Prado to lead off the game, Wainwright walked three straight batters to plate two runs. Atlanta was unable to tack on any extra runs, but their early 2-0 lead would prove to be huge from the early going.
Brian McCann hit a bloop single in the third inning to score Dan Uggla easily to add on another run. With two outs and the bases loaded once again in the fifth, Tyler Pastornicky reached on an infield single and drove in Uggla to make the score 4-0. Beachy then came up with a big RBI-single to add on yet another run.
The Cardinals loaded the bases in the sixth inning without any outs, but Beachy was able to avoid any real damage. Allen Craig drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to left, and then David Freese grounded into a crucial 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.
Michael Bourn hit his first home run of the year in the eighth to give Atlanta a 6-1 lead. Rafael Furcal responded in the bottom of the frame with an RBI-single, but that was the final run St. Louis would scratch across on Saturday evening in front of a capacity crowd at Busch Stadium. Bourn eventually added another run on in the ninth with a RBI-single down the left field line to make the score 7-2.
Another big win for the Braves. The club is now 21-13 on the season after losing their first four games.