Cardinals hand slumping Atlanta Braves 7th straight loss

Monday, May 5, 2014

photo St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Allen Craig (21) scores on a Peter Bourjos (8) base hit as Atlanta Braves catcher Evan Gattis (24) handles the late throw in the sixth inning of a baseball game on Monday, May 5, 2014, in Atlanta.

ATLANTA - Matt Carpenter's two-run double in the fifth inning helped carry the St. Louis Cardinals past the slumping Atlanta Braves, who shook up their lineup but still lost their seventh in a row, 4-3 Monday night.

Desperate for more offense, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez batted pitcher Aaron Harang eighth and put second baseman Ramiro Pena in the ninth spot.

Pena had two hits, including a seventh-inning homer that brought the Braves within a run, but they couldn't overcome a 4-0 deficit.

Taking advantage of shaky defense, Carpenter doubled in two runs and Matt Holiday followed with a run-scoring single. Peter Bourjos had an RBI single in the sixth to extend St. Louis' lead.

Shelby Miller (4-2) got the win and Trevor Rosenthal earned his ninth save. Harang (3-3) took the loss.