Giants defeat Cardinals 5-4 with walk-off single

SAN FRANCISCO - Rookie Kelby Tomlinson lined a bases-loaded single up the middle with one out in the ninth against previously unbeaten Kevin Siegrist, and the San Francisco Giants topped the Cardinals 5-4 on Friday night to snap St. Louis’ five-game winning streak.

Left fielder Brandon Moss grabbed a different glove from the dugout and moved in to make a five-man infield, then Tomlinson found a hole against Siegrist (5-1).

Marlon Byrd hit a grand slam off 15-game winner Michael Wacha in the third inning for the Giants, who kept pace 2½ games behind NL West-leading Los Angeles.

Javier Lopez (1-0) got Moss to line out to second in the ninth and Tomlinson quickly fired to first to double up Stephen Piscotty, who was off the bag.

Byrd’s eighth career grand slam gave the Giants eight for the season, a franchise record. Byrd last hit one on July 9, 2013, while with the Mets facing the Giants at AT&T Park.

The scoreboard went out for about four minutes and the ballpark lights briefly flickered twice.

Byrd, previously 0 for 17 against Wacha, sent the first pitch he saw in the third over the wall in center field moments after Buster Posey was hit on the left elbow to load the bases against the team with baseball’s best record.

Mike Leake retired the first nine batters in order but is still missing his first win after three starts since joining San Francisco in a trade from Cincinnati on July 30.

Giants pitcher Matt Cain went on the 15-day DL with irritation in his pitching elbow and received a cortisone injection to help it calm down. Chris Heston was recalled from his rest period at Triple-A Sacramento and will pitch Sunday’s series finale. Shortstop Brandon Crawford missed his third straight game with tightness in his left oblique, and is unlikely to play the rest of the weekend.