Cardinals 4, Giants 1: David Freese belted a two-out solo home run in the seventh inning to snap a tie and lead St. Louis to victory in the opener of a two-game series.

Jaime Garcia worked 7 1/3 strong innings and Rafael Furcal recorded three hits and scored twice for the Cardinals, who have won two straight following a four-game losing streak.

After Giants starter Madison Bumgarner retired the first two batters in the seventh, Freese swatted a 1-1 offering over the left-field wall for his eighth blast of the season and a 2-1 lead.

The Cardinals tacked on two more runs in the eighth as Garcia ignited the rally with a one-out single. Furcal followed with a double and pinch hitter Skip Schumaker greeted reliever Steve Edlefsen with a double over the head of left fielder Gregor Blanco.

Garcia (3-2) allowed one run and nine hits en route to his first win in five starts. The left-hander recorded a season-high nine strikeouts without issuing a walk.

Bumgarner (5-3) surrendered four runs and seven hits over 7 1/3 innings. The southpaw, who struck out three without a walk, fell to 3-1 at home.

Buster Posey went 3-for-4 with an RBI for San Francisco, which has lost two straight after winning three in a row.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Bumgarner had won each of his previous two career starts against the Cardinals. ... Freese and Furcal combined for six of St. Louis' nine hits. ... Cardinals OF Carlos Beltran sat out his third straight game with a sore knee. ... Posey recorded San Francisco's lone extra-base hit, a one-out double off Garcia in the fourth inning.