ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Nate Schierholtz delivered a pair of key run-scoring blasts to rally the San Francisco Giants to a comeback 7-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in 11 innings on Wednesday.
"It definitely helps being in those situations," Schierholtz told reporters. "Every time you follow the first time, you feel less pressure and relax a little more."
Schierholtz finished with three hits and two runs and Cody Ross added four hits to help keep the Giants (30-25) a half-game behind National League West leaders Arizona Diamondbacks.
San Francisco had erased a 3-0 deficit with three runs in the sixth and one in the top of the seventh to grab a 4-3 lead.
That advantage was short-lived, however, as ace pitcher Tim Lincecum gave up a two-run home run to pinch-hitter Allen Craig in the bottom half of the inning to help put St. Louis up 5-4.
Lincecum (5-4) left after 6 1/3 innings of his no-decision, and the Giants used five relievers to keep St. Louis scoreless the rest of the way.
Sergio Romo pitched the 10th for the win, while Brian Wilson closed out the 11th, where there was a 15-minute delay after a minor light failure in Busch Stadium.
"I've had some pretty interesting innings before," said Wilson, who was one out away from ending the contest when the game was delayed. "This has to be on top of the charts."
The loss for the NL Central-leading Cardinals (33-24) added insult to injury as the team is expected to place leading hitter Matt Holliday on the disabled list on Thursday.
Holliday, whose .342 batting average tops the NL, has been in and out of the lineup with a nagging quadriceps injury he originally suffered two weeks ago.
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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