Cardinals roll up 12 runs, hand White Sox sixth straight loss

Ivan Herrera had two hits and four RBIs, Brendan Donovan went 4-for-5 with a solo home run and Matthew Liberatore pitched six strong innings as the St. Louis Cardinals routed the host Chicago White Sox 12-2 on Tuesday.
St. Louis has won two of three on the heels of a six-game losing streak. The White Sox lost their sixth straight, the club’s third skid of at least that many games this season.
Alec Burleson added three hits, including a homer, and two RBIs to help the Cardinals out-hit the White Sox 13-6.
Chicago struck first, capitalizing on a two-out, first-inning rally punctuated by Edgar Quero’s RBI single. It was the first of Quero’s two hits in the game.
The lead didn’t last long, as the Cardinals responded with five runs in the top of the second against White Sox rookie right-hander Shane Smith. Herrera delivered a two-run single to cap the scoring after St. Louis also picked up runs behind a throwing error, single and RBI groundout.
Smith (3-4) spaced six runs (five earned) and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked three and hit one batter while striking out a career-low two. Tuesday marked the first time in 14 starts that Smith was charged with more than three earned runs. He yielded six runs in a May 16 road loss to the Chicago Cubs but only one was earned.
Liberatore (4-6) earned his first victory since May 6 after scattering two runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out four against zero walks.
Chicago scored its other run on Vinny Capra’s RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth inning.
The White Sox bullpen allowed six runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. Willson Contreras stole home for St. Louis in the fifth. Herrera added another two-run single in the sixth.
Capra, who started at shortstop, surrendered a two-run homer to Victor Scott II in the ninth.
St. Louis improved to 24-18 against Chicago all-time, including 12-11 at Rate Field.