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Cardinals slide into tie for 2nd Wild Card spot
- Updated: September 16, 2016
SAN FRANCISCO — Manager Bruce Bochy placed Denard Span near the bottom of the Giants’ lineup Thursday as a way to ease the pressure on his slumping center fielder. Yet Span came to the plate in a crucial bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the seventh with San Francisco clinging to a two-run lead.
Span delivered, lining a two-run single to right field as part of the Giants’ 6-2 series-opening victory over the Cardinals at AT&T Park on Friday night. The win moved the Giants one game in front of the Mets and two games ahead of the Cardinals in the National League Wild Card standings. San Francisco also gained a game on the Dodgers, closing to within four games of the NL West leaders.
The hit supplied Johnny Cueto with a four-run cushion, which proved to be more than enough, as the right-hander shut down the Cardinals while throwing his fifth complete game of the season. Cueto was untouchable during the latter half of the game, retiring the last 15 batters he faced. On the other hand, …