(AP) -- The St. Louis Cardinals have taken a 2-1 lead in the NL Championship Series by outlasting the San Francisco Giants 3-1 in a game that was interrupted by a three and a-half hour rain delay at Busch Stadium.

The big hit was a Matt Carpenter two-run homer for the Cards in the third inning. Carpenter entered the game as a replacement for Carlos Beltran, who was taken out after grounding out in the first inning. The Cards say Beltran is day-to-day.

Cards starter Kyle Lohse got the win despite a ragged start. He allowed seven hits and five walks and one run in five and two-thirds innings. The Cards bullpen was lights out. Four Cards relievers hurled three and a-third shutout innings, with Jason Motte (maht) getting the two-inning save.

Game 4 is Thursday night at Busch Stadium. Tim Lincecum who was 10-15 in the regular season, opposes the Cards' Adam Wainwright, who was 14-13 during the year.