Cardinals reign in rain, beat Giants in Game 3 of NLCS

• The Cardinals took a 2-1 NLCS lead with a 3-1 win
• Matt Carpenter, who replaced an injured Beltran, hit a HR in the third
• Game 3 resumed after a 3 hour, 28 minute rain delay

ST. LOUIS – With a veteran of postseason heroics out, the St. Louis Cardinals simply plugged in a rookie to make his own playoff legacy.

Utilityman Matt Carpenter, who replaced injured outfielder Carlos Beltran in the second inning Wednesday, belted a two-run homer that propelled the Cardinals to a 3-1 victory against the San Francisco Giants in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.

St. Louis, which leads the series 2-1, will send Adam Wainwright to the mound Thursday against Tim Lincecum.

"That was huge,'' first baseman Allen Craig said of Carpenter's third-inning drive, which put St. Louis ahead 2-1. "It couldn't have come at a better time, with Carlos going down.''

Carpenter, in his first full season in the majors, came in 4-for-4 against Giants starter Matt Cain, and manager Mike Matheny said he'd try to find a spot for him during the game.

The opportunity arrived quicker than expected as Beltran, who has the highest batting average and slugging percentage in postseason history, strained his left knee running out a double-play grounder in the first inning. He's listed as day-to-day.

Carpenter cashed in on his first at-bat of the NLCS by driving a Cain slider over the right-center field fence in the third inning with Jon Jay on base, putting St. Louis ahead 2-1. Carpenter had six homers in 296 at-bats during the regular season.

"With a guy as good as he is, you can't look at a small sample size like that and think you've got this guy figured out,'' Carpenter said. "I got a pitch to hit and was able to put a good swing on it.''

The game was interrupted by rain and lightning for 3 hours, 28 minutes in the bottom of the seventh.

Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse allowed 12 baserunners in 5 2/3 innings but mostly pitched out of trouble thanks to two double plays. The run he allowed came on a Pablo Sandoval groundout in the third, when the Giants had runners on second and third with nobody out but failed to do any more damage with the heart of their lineup.

The Cardinals bullpen, airtight in pitching 5 1/3 scoreless innings in Game 1, responded again by shutting down the Giants over the final 3 1/3.

St. Louis got some breathing room in the seventh when Shane Robinson's bases-loaded groundout stretched the lead to 3-1 just before the rain delay.

Closer Jason Motte took over to start the eighth and got the final six outs for the save.

Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro, who hurt his left hip and knee in a second-plate collision with Matt Holliday in Game 2, was back in the starting lineup and went 2-for-5.

"This is a frustrating game for the fellows,'' Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "They did a really good job. We just couldn't get the line moving and get a run in.''