SAN FRANCISCO -- On an uncharacteristically warm weekend in the Bay Area, the Cardinals' power and offense showed once again why they're among the most potent in the Majors. With three of their top sluggers out of the lineup, the Cards hit a trio of homers and topped the Giants, 7-3, on Sunday at AT&T Park.
They would have had a fourth, too, if not for a defensive gem by San Francisco center fielder Gorkys Hernandez to rob Tommy Pham in the first.
Paul DeJong and Jose Martinez hit home runs in the fourth, the seventh time this season the Cards have had consecutive hitters go deep. Rookie Harrison Bader joined the power display, going deep off Giants starter Madison Bumgarner in the sixth.

"We jumped in after that first inning and made some things happen," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "The offense was pretty relentless with great at-bats."

The victory vaulted the Cardinals to three games behind the Rockies, who lost to the D-backs on Sunday, for the second National League Wild Card spot, and six games behind the Cubs in the NL Central hunt.
St. Louis starter Luke Weaver (4-1) earned his fourth consecutive win. He limited the Giants to two runs and four hits over seven innings.

Bumgarner (3-7) retired the first 11 batters he saw, but he allowed three home runs for only the second time since the 2016 season began. He's now allowed 14 homers in 14 starts.
"He was a little bit off today. He's coming off flu-like symptoms," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "And I think it's a sign of the times. The ball was flying. You saw it today. There were balls hit that I thought were routine. They were carrying to the warning track."

Tim Federowicz hit a home run in the eighth in his first at-bat since being recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Friday.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Gorkys' robbery: Pham nearly homered off Bumgarner in the first inning, but Hernandez made a spectacular leaping catch at the wall of a ball that travelled 395 feet, according to Statcast™. The AT&T Park crowd roared in approval as Bumgarner flashed a smile.

"It was definitely pretty cool," Bumgarner said. "I wish I could have made it a little more meaningful. Nonetheless, it was a spectacular play."
"He was playing me in right-center, and he went all the way to left-center and caught that. Just a great catch [by] him," Pham said. "Am I surprised he caught it? Not really, because I know he's a great center fielder and he covers ground." More >
Tacking on two more: After Bader's solo shot in the sixth, the Cards added a pair of runs. Pham drew a walk, and Martinez brought him home with a double. Yadier Molina doubled in the next at-bat to give St. Louis a three-run inning. More >

QUOTABLE
"This park kills me. I'm more left-center to right-center when I hit balls in the air, and this park doesn't help me. I should have had three extra home runs here." -- Pham, on playing at AT&T Park
"I don't think if the weather was 30 degrees or 100 degrees, all those balls that got hit today, at least off of me, I don't think it would have any kind of affect on it." --Bumgarner, on allowing three homers
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Bumgarner's solo home run gave him three this season -- despite a long stint on the disabled list. He's the first pitcher to total at least three homers in four consecutive seasons since Earl Wilson blasted three or more in five consecutive seasons between 1964-68.
San Francisco southpaw Matt Moore spun two innings of scoreless relief, his first appearance out of the bullpen in the regular season since Sept. 17, 2011. He threw two relief innings during the 2013 postseason.
Pitching coach Dave Righetti told Moore to be ready before the game. The Giants plan to start him next weekend against the White Sox.
"I'm all for it," Moore said. "I like being out there as much as I can. … If I didn't get in the game today or tomorrow, it would have been eight or nine games [between starts]. It was nice to get out there and compete."
WHAT'S NEXT
Cardinals:Carlos Martinez pitches the opener of a four-game series in San Diego at Petco Park on Monday, with first pitch scheduled for 3:40 p.m. CT. The right-hander had been on a nice roll until taking a loss in his last start.
Giants: San Francisco begins a three-game set Monday in Denver against the Rockies. Game time is 12:10 p.m. PT. The Giants will send right-hander Chris Stratton to the bump. He's recorded two 10-strikeout games this season.
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