Giants beat Cardinals for third win in a row

SAN FRANCISCO -- Kevin Correia carried a shutout into the eighth inning in one of his best starts yet, leading the San Francisco Giants past the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-1, on Thursday night.

It was the third win in a row for the Giants.

Correia (1-1) gave up five hits in 7 2/3 innings, struck out four, walked two and also singled for the Giants, who lost six of their first seven games.

Fred Lewis doubled, tripled and scored twice and Randy Winn added a sacrifice fly for San Francisco, which went 19 innings without giving up a run before Troy Glaus’ ninth-inning run-scoring double against Brad Hennessey ended the Giants’ shutout bid.

Correia, a full-time starter for the first time after primarily relieving in parts of five previous major league seasons, beat the Cardinals for the first time in eight career outings.

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Around the league

Claudio Vargas, who was 11-6 with a 5.09 earned-run average with the Milwaukee Brewers last season but was released during spring training in a cost-cutting move, agreed to a minor-league deal with the New York Mets.