Cardinals unable to sweep Braves

ST. LOUIS -- More than four years after Adonis Garcia defected from Cuba, he hit his first major league home run.

His timing could not have been much better for the Atlanta Braves.

Garcia broke a 2-2 tie when he led off the sixth inning by homering on a 1-0 fastball from Michael Wacha that carried the Braves to a 3-2 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday.

"I accomplished my dream by getting to the big leagues," Garcia said through an interpreter. "I'm twice as happy now that I hit my home run and was able to help the team win."

"The ball was up in the zone and he put a good swing on it," Wacha said.

The Braves' Ryan Lavarnway, right, scores a run in front of Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha during the second inning Sunday in St. Louis. The Braves won 3-2. (Billy Hurst ~ Associated Press)

A 30-year-old who was released this spring after three years in the New York Yankees' organization, Garcia was promoted Friday when Atlanta traded Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson to the New York Mets. He went 1 for 3 Saturday and added his biggest hit yet to help the Braves avoid a three-game sweep.

"I like the at-bats he's given us," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He's made some nice plays at third base so that's a nice addition. We've just got to find a way to keep him in the lineup somehow."

Another Braves rookie, right-hander Matt Wisler (5-1), allowed seven hits and walked three in seven innings, his longest outing since beating the Mets in his debut last month. Wisler struck out only two but was able to take advantage of a Cardinals' lineup that rested regulars Yadier Molina, Jhonny Peralta and Mark Reynolds.

"I was a little nervous," Wisler said. "I mean it's the best team in baseball. They've got a very good lineup, very talented. I had good command of my fastball and my slider was a good pitch as well."

The Braves took advantage of Wacha's wildness to take a 2-0 lead in the second. Ryan Lavarnway grounded a double into the left-field corner to score Eury Perez, who had worked a one-out walk after falling behind 0-2 in the count. Following a two-out walk to Jace Peterson, Cameron Maybin singled on an 0-2 changeup to drive in Lavarnway. Wacha needed 51 pitches to get through the first two innings.

"I have to do a better job with those counts and being able to put them away," Wacha said. "I felt like I got stronger as the game progressed."

Wacha (11-4) gave up five hits and walked three in six innings.

The Cardinals evened the score with runs in the fourth and fifth. Rookie Stephen Piscotty, in his first start at home, drove in the first St. Louis run with a single that scored Jason Heyward. Heyward, scoring for the first time against his former team, initially was ruled out but the call was overturned following a 5-minute, 8-second review that showed he slid in ahead of Lavarnway's tag.

Piscotty had been set to make his first start at home Friday but was a late scratch because of a stiff neck he said he suffered while sleeping.

The 24-year-old out of Stanford showed why he entered the season as the Cardinals' top prospect, getting on base three times. He also led off the sixth with an infield single and walked in the eighth.

"The reason Stephen's been able to move through the system and be at the top of our prospect list is the mature at-bats he takes," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "He's a guy that's disciplined inside the zone, doesn't chase a lot out. He has a very consistent approach and swing. Today was a good day."

Piscotty also kept the Braves from scoring in the eighth when he made a stretch at first on a throw from Matt Carpenter with two out and a runner on third.

"There's a lot of stuff to work on, but I feel comfortable and today was a good first step," Piscotty said. Matt Holliday's double into the right-field corner in the fifth scored Kolten Wong, who also had doubled, to tie the game in the fifth and set the stage for Garcia's heroics.

Trainer's room

Cardinals: Center fielder Randal Grichuk left after the sixth inning with what manager Mike Matheny called a minor groin injury. Grichuk suffered the injury when he was running the bases after singling in the fourth inning.

Up next

Cardinals: Right-hander Lance Lynn (7-5, 2.80) will make his first start this season against Cincinnati when he opposes rookie right-hander Raisel Iglesias (1-2, 5.45). The division rivals have not met since April 19.