ST. LOUIS _ Paul Goldschmidt is a six-time All-Star, a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner and one of the most physically imposing sluggers in all of baseball.
Kevin Pillar has never made an All-Star team, never received a MVP vote and never been the type of player opponents pitch around.
The Cardinals' top power-hitter and the Giants' top power-hitter went head-to-head on Wednesday in St. Louis. If it wasn't David vs. Goliath, it wasn't far off.
Goldschmidt had a chance to throw the last punch, but Pillar was the man who landed the final shot. That was the difference in a 9-8 Giants win.
With a two-run home run off Cardinals reliever Giovanny Gallegos in the top of the eighth inning, Pillar gave the Giants (67-72) their third different lead of the night. His 440-foot home run landed far beyond the visiting bullpen at Busch Stadium and gave the club hope their losing streak would end at four games.
Goldschmidt came to the plate in the bottom of the eighth with a runner on third and a chance to tie the game, but he whiffed at a 3-2 slider from Giants closer Will Smith to end the inning.
The Giants took a 4-0 lead in the third inning and a 7-4 lead in the sixth, but the first-place Cardinals twice clawed back on the shoulders of Goldschmidt, who has tormented San Francisco throughout his nine-year career.
Goldschmidt's two-run triple off the glove of Giants rookie Jaylin Davis _ who made his MLB debut Wednesday _ in the bottom of the fifth tied the game at 4-4 against Giants ace Madison Bumgarner.
When manager Bruce Bochy attempted to create a favorable matchup against Goldschmidt in the bottom of the sixth by using submarine-style reliever Tyler Rogers, Goldschmidt crushed the first pitch he saw into the right center field gap for a go-ahead, two-run double.
The first baseman's heroics appeared destined to carry the Cardinals to a series-clinching win, but Pillar has earned the "Superman" nickname for a reason. After third baseman Evan Longoria singled against reliever Andrew Miller, Pillar extended his career-high with his 21st home run of the season to stun the Cardinals.
Bochy called on Smith to earn a four-out save after fellow left-hander Tony Watson made an incredible defensive play to record the second out of the eighth inning. With a runner on second and one out, Watson picked up a Kolten Wong bunt attempt between the mound and first base and raced toward the foul line.
The reliever made a full-extension diving tag on Wong, who was initially ruled safe at first base. After a 30-second replay, the call was overturned and Watson was giving the ball up to Smith.
The Giants' offensive outburst was a welcome sight for a Giants club that watched Bumgarner struggle on Wednesday. Bumgarner has been one of the best pitchers in the National League since July 1, but he turned in his worst outing in more than two months against the Cardinals.
Bumgarner's offense spotted him a 4-0 lead in the third inning, but St. Louis collected six extra-base hits and six runs in five-plus innings. Despite shaky command and fifth-inning struggles, Bumgarner earned a chance to redeem himself in the bottom of the sixth after shortstop Brandon Crawford slugged a two-out, three-run home run to put the Giants on top 7-4.
Bumgarner failed to record an out in the sixth, giving up a leadoff double to catcher Yadier Molina before rookie third baseman Tommy Edman knocked him out of the game with a RBI triple.
The six earned runs Bumgarner allowed matched a season-high, leaving the pitcher visibly frustrated on a night his offense came to life.
After scoring one run in the first 20 innings of their series, the Giants tallied four in the third against Cardinals reliever Tyler Webb. Rookie right fielder Mike Yastrzemski hit his 19th home run of the season to lead off the inning and they brought home three more runs on a wild pitch and a pair of singles.
Pillar picked up the first of his three RBIs on Wednesday with a single into left field before second baseman Corban Joseph recorded his first career hit as a Giant. The newcomer extended the Giants' lead to 4-0 with a line drive into left center field on an 0-2 offering from Ryan Helsley, who took over for Webb after he retired just one of the five batters he faced.
