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Beltran Hits 1st HR for Cards in 4-3 Win Monday

Sports

March 20th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) – Carlos Beltran hit his first home run for the St. Louis Cardinals, a leadoff drive off Julio Teheran in the sixth inning during Monday’s 4-3 win over the Atlanta Braves.    Beltran, who signed a free agent after splitting last year between the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants, also had a single. Matt Carpenter hit a two-run homer in the fourth against Randall Delgado. Carpenter had been batting .190 with no RBIs coming into his eighth spring training game. Cardinals starter Lance Lynn pitched four perfect innings, then allowed one run, two hits, a walk and a sacrifice fly in the fifth. He is being prepared to join the rotation if Chris Carpenter isn’t ready to start the season.  Brian McCann hit his first exhibition homer, a seventh-inning drive off Mitchell Boggs. Yadier Molina had two doubles and drove in a run for the Cardinals.