Wacha bounces back, Grichuk homers as Cards top Giants 5-2

Michael Wacha pitched six strong innings and Randal Grichuk hit a two-run homer as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Thursday night.

The Giants were without staff ace Madison Bumgarner, a late scratch with flu symptoms, as they lost for the sixth time in seven games.

Wacha (10-7) gave up one run, four hits and two walks as he bounced back from a tough stretch. In his three previous starts he was 0-3 with a 10.22 ERA.

The Cardinals moved within 5 1/2 games of the idle Colorado Rockies in the NL wild card race. They failed to gain ground in the NL Central as the first-place Chicago Cubs defeated the Atlanta Braves to maintain a six-game lead.

Tommy Pham was 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs for St. Louis.