Giants' Morris pitches in to help his former team

SAN FRANCISCO -- If the St. Louis Cardinals are able to close out the National League Central Divsion title, they may be able to look back on Friday as a decisive day.

Coming into the day with a slim percentage-points lead over Cincinnati, St. Louis beat the Chicago Cubs, and former Cardinals pitcher stymies the Reds.

Morris even caught Cincinnati off guard with one swing of his bat, delivering a two-run double in the eighth inning to lift the San Francisco Giants past the wild card-leading Reds 4-1.

The decision dropped the Reds out of a virtual tie for first in the NL Central. The Reds lost again Saturday in San Francisco.

Morris retired 18 straight batters to finish the three-hitter for his second complete game of the season and 20th of his career. He ended a seven-start winless stretch with his first victory since July 14 against Philadelphia.

Morris (9-11) won with an efficient 99-pitch effort.

"That was vintage him," outfielder Steve Finley said. "He's pitched a lot of games like that for us. We haven't given him many runs."