Giants vs. Cardinals, NLCS Game 3 final score: Giants fall 3-1 following rain delay

The St. Louis Cardinals emerged from a two-hour rain delay and managed to put away the San Francisco Giants, 3-1, in Game 3 of the National League Championship series at Busch Stadium on Wednesday night.

Giants starter Matt Cain gave up three runs on six hits, walked one and added two strikeouts in 6⅔ innings of work and took the loss. Cardinals hurler Kyle Lohse allowed seven hits and walked five but escaped any serious damage in allowing just one run while striking out two.

Matt Carpenter propelled the Cardinals to the win with a third inning, 429-foot home run to deep right center field that gave the Redbirds a 2-1 lead. They would add another run in the seventh and hold the lead for good. The Giants' lone run came in the top of the third inning on an RBI groundout to shortstop by Pablo Sandoval that scored Angel Pagan. They would fail to capitalize, though, and left Marco Scutaro stranded on third base to end the inning.

The day wasn't all a victory for the Cardinals as right fielder Carlos Beltran left the game in the top of the second with a strained left knee. He was replaced by Carpenter.

The rain delay lasted for three hours, 28 minutes, and lasted longer than the three hour, two-minute game itself.