St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - St. Louis starter Chris Carpenter turned in seven-plus innings and Pedro Feliz knocked in a pair of runs, as the Cardinals beat the struggling Tim Lincecum and San Francisco, 5-1, to put the brakes on a five-game skid.
Carpenter (14-4) was charged with a run and five hits while lowering his earned run average to 2.88.
Randy Winn hit a solo home run and Brendan Ryan added an RBI double for the Cardinals, who are four games behind first-place Cincinnati in the National League Central. The Reds play in Los Angeles later Saturday night.
Lincecum (11-8) dropped his fourth straight start and first in six career outings versus the Cardinals, allowing four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. The eight losses represent a career-high for the two-time defending NL Cy Young Award winner.
Despite the loss, the Giants remained a game back of Philadelphia for the wild card spot after the Phillies lost to Washington.
St. Louis took a 1-0 lead on Winn's round-tripper in the fourth and added two more runs in the fifth to extend the lead to three runs. Yadier Molina led off with a walk and Feliz followed with a triple down the left-field line. Feliz then scored on a double by Ryan.
Jon Jay singled home Albert Pujols to give the Cardinals a 4-0 cushion in the sixth.
Carpenter was pulled from the game in favor of Trever Miller after a one-out single by Buster Posey in the eighth. Miller was brought in to face the left- handed swinging Aubrey Huff, who lined a base hit to center field.
Kyle McClellan replaced Miller and struck out Pat Burrell before Jose Guillen put San Francisco on the board with an RBI single. Pablo Sandoval grounded out to end the inning.
Feliz drove in Matt Holliday in the home half to account for the final score.
Lincecum entered Saturday with a 5-0 record and 1.54 ERA for his career against St. Louis...Posey and Guillen each had two hits...The Cardinals were 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position.