Lance Lynn got off to a perfect start to his Major League debut when the St. Louis Cardinals played the San Francisco Giants in the final game of a series with the champs on Thursday, but the party was over when the Cardinals’ defense struggled to keep the rookie’s obligations to three outs per inning. A bobbled double-play ball by Ryan Theriot left Lynn in to face Aubrey Huff, who promptly deposited a pitch into the bleachers for a home run, and things just got worse from there. Colby Rasmus shined in the loss, hitting a triple and a grand slam to drive in six runs.
Aubrey Huff was the star for the Giants; he hit three home runs against three different pitchers, going deep against Lynn, fellow debut pitcher Maikel Cleto, and lefty Brian Tallet to drive in six runs of his own. Pitcher Jonathan Sanchez, who earned his fourth win of the season despite walking six and striking out just one, hit a strange double on a ball that fell between drifting outfielders Rasmus and Allen Craig.